Improvements take effect at Paks 1

Both units 1 and 4 at Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant are operating at the increased power level of around 500 MWe, some 8% greater than the original design. Work to improve performance has been carried out under an agreement with Russia's AtomStroyExport that originally supplied the VVER-440 model reactors. Unit 4 was uprated in late 2006, while preparatory work for similar uprates continues on units 2 and 3. Changes to those units will start in 2008, and Paks management expect all four reactors should output 500 MWe in 2009. The plant provides about one third of Hungary's electricity.