According to the intergovernmental agreement signed between Hungary and Russia on 14 January 2014, Rosatom may construct two new nuclear power plant units on the Paks site in order to maintain the capacity of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. On 17 February 2015, on behalf of the Government of Hungary, Zoltán Balog, Minister for Human Resources, and, on behalf of Rosatom, Sergei Kirienko, CEO, appended their signatures to the letter of intent, according to which the two parties will also cooperate in the areas of education, training and science with respect to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

On the basis of the letter of intent, the parties will establish joint education and training programmes in the future, which are aimed at ensuring the supply of staff required during the construction and operation of the new units to be established at Paks and of university specialists.

With 34 operational nuclear power plant units at present, Russia is one of the most important countries operating nuclear power plants in the world, while a similar number of power reactors designed and constructed by Russia operate in other countries in the world, too. A substantial portion of ongoing nuclear power plant construction projects are carried out by Rosatom all over the world. It is a definite goal and is in the interest of Hungary to be able to make good use of the significant professional experience of the Russian party at the various levels of training, thereby improving the Hungarian nuclear training system with a past of nearly 60 years and extensive experience, which is essential from the point of view of the construction and safe operation of the new units at Paks. Through study tours in Russia by specialists participating in the construction and future operation of the new units, it will also be possible to become familiar with the technology of the new units at Paks at an early stage.

Additional agreements to be signed later and based on the letter of intent of 17 February will allow Hungarian university students to participate in trainings in Russia, and will establish conditions for university instructors exchange programs as well as the possibility of cooperation in joint research programmes in the scientific fields.

The letter of intent by by Hungary and Russia may represent a guarantee for the in-service professional training of excellent operating and maintenance personnel, who play a significant role in the highly safe operation of the current units of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, and for supplying young specialists.