Paks II Unit 5 First Concrete Poured — Construction Begins Despite War

On February 5, 2026, the first concrete was poured for the foundation of Paks II Unit 5, officially beginning construction of Hungary's €12.5 billion Russian-built nuclear reactor expansion. The Rosatom project, financed 80% by a €10 billion Russian state loan, proceeded despite Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and Western sanctions pressures on Rosatom. EU partners expressed alarm about deepening dependency on Russian nuclear infrastructure. Orbán touted it as securing Hungary's long-term energy security and low-carbon electricity supply.