nucleareurope Director General visits Paks nuclear power plant

On 19 June 2025, nucleareurope Director General Emmanuel Brutin visited the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary. The visit allowed for fruitful exchanges with the plant operators on the role of nuclear energy in Europe, the importance of energy sovereignty, and the part to be played by nuclear new build.

During the visit, Emmanuel highlighted the importance of nuclear energy, which is currently the largest single source of power generation in Europe, providing close to a quarter of the bloc’s electricity. In the case of Hungary, 75% of electricity produced is carbon free, three quarters of which is generated by the Paks power plant.

“The Paks nuclear power plant is an impressive project, and is a major asset when it comes to ensuring that Hungary has access to sufficient affordable, reliable, net-zero energy.” highlighted Emmanuel, adding that it is essential to maintain existing nuclear capacity in Europe and complement it with new build projects.

Emmanuel also addressed key challenges for the nuclear industry, such as the development of a skilled workforce, and access to funding and financing. He concluded the visit by stressing the importance of information sharing between nucleareurope and its members, and thanking the Paks staff for organising the visit.