IAEA Experts Praise Paks NPP’s Operational Safety Efforts, Recommend for Improvement

The OSART team’s role was to assess the plant’s safety performance against IAEA safety standards and to provide recommendations to enhance operational safety.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team has concluded an 18-day Operational Safety Review (OSART) mission at Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), recognizing the plant's strong commitment to operational safety while offering recommendations for further improvement. The mission, which took place from November 4 to November 21, 2024, was requested by the Government of Hungary and marked the country’s fourth OSART review, with previous missions held in 1988, 2001, and 2014.

Paks NPP, located approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Budapest, is Hungary’s first and only nuclear power plant, consisting of four 506 MWe pressurized water reactor units that have been in operation since the 1980s. The plant is critical to Hungary's energy production, generating nearly half of the country’s electricity. The OSART team’s role was to assess the plant’s safety performance against IAEA safety standards and to provide recommendations to enhance operational safety.

Observations and Positive Findings

The 13-member OSART team—comprising nuclear safety experts from countries including Argentina, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, UAE, and the USA, along with IAEA officials—conducted extensive site visits, observing daily plant activities and reviewing areas such as maintenance, surveillance, radiation safety, work permits, training, and staff operations.

The mission's leader, Yury Martynenko, Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA, expressed satisfaction with the plant's preparedness and cooperation during the mission. He noted, “The managers and staff of Paks NPP are committed to improving the operational safety and reliability of their plant, and we were pleased to see many actions in progress.” The team praised the plant for its openness and thorough engagement with the IAEA experts, highlighting the importance of the staff’s commitment to maintaining high safety standards.

Good Practices Identified

Several good practices were identified by the OSART team, which can be shared with the global nuclear industry:

Monitoring and Repair Programs: The plant’s development of a monitoring and repair program for confinement systems.

Geospatial Information Storage: The plant’s practice of storing geospatial information on plant structures and components, which is shared across multiple platforms for improved data management.

Software Development: The creation of software tools designed to predict potential emergency events and manage their progression effectively.

Suggestions for Further Safety Enhancements

While the OSART team found many strengths, they also provided some suggestions to further enhance the plant’s operational safety:

Equipment Maintenance: The team recommended enhancing measures to maintain the plant’s measurement equipment, including inspections, calibrations, storage, and ensuring traceability to safeguard plant and personnel safety.

Earthquake Resilience: The team proposed reinforcing the plant’s programs and work practices to minimize the impact of non-fixed items on safety-critical equipment during an earthquake.

Industrial Area Safety: The team encouraged improving processes, procedures, and practices to ensure plant personnel receive clear instructions while working in industrial areas of the plant.

CEO’s Remarks on the OSART Mission

Péter János Horváth, CEO of MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd, emphasized the importance of the continuous improvement approach to safety. “It was in the spirit of continuous learning that we had requested the IAEA review,” he said. “The OSART mission has allowed us to make an in-depth assessment of our work. The recommendations and suggestions will help us to continuously improve the plant's operational safety, and thanks to the expertise of our team, we can also contribute to the enrichment of global best practices.”

Next Steps and Final Report

The IAEA has provided a draft report of the mission’s findings to Paks NPP management, giving them the opportunity to provide factual comments before the final report is submitted to the Hungarian Government. The final report will be delivered within three months of the mission’s conclusion.

The OSART mission at Paks NPP serves as a valuable tool for improving operational safety in Hungary’s nuclear sector. Through continuous assessments and global collaboration, the plant will be better equipped to address challenges and maintain its critical role in the country's energy security. The IAEA's recommendations underscore the importance of staying proactive in the management of safety standards to ensure the long-term reliability and safety of nuclear power operations in Hungary.