The equipment of the core-catcher are now lined up at the construction and erection base, which all are individually huge in size. This is the largest piece of equipment in the new nuclear power plant, weighing more than 700 tons. It was lifted from the cargo ship, it arrived on via the inlet channel of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, using the crane of the heavy port.

– We have reached the most spectacular phase of the Paks II. project so far, the lifting of the core-catcher, that will ensure the safety of the power plant. An extremely intensive and collaborative effort has been carried out over the past few days – said the Programme Director of Paks II. Ltd. László Gábor Kiss said that the coordinated work of the specialists of the company in charge of the construction of the new nuclear power plant, the Contractor ASE JSC, MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd., MVM Ovit Ltd. and the Austrian Danube Shipping Management Service GmbH, resulted in the fact that all the elements were lifted and moved to their temporary location in only two days. The final location of the core-catcher will be under the reactor vessel, where it will perform its safety function. Safety was the focus during transport and lifting, the programme director stressed.

The history of the core-catcher started back in July 2020 with the nuclear qualification of the manufacturing company, Energotex. Extensive technical documentation was assembled, and then the production began, which was monitored by Paks II. Ltd. specialists, as well as representatives of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority. The nuclear authority also checked the lowering and transport of the elements to their place on the spot.

The core-catcher of Unit 5 is the first long-lead item to be completed and arrived in Paks.

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