Rosatom Trains First Hungarian Instructors for Paks II Nuclear Power Plant
Rosatom's Technical Academy has completed training for the first group of Hungarian professionals who will serve as instructors at the training center for the Paks II Nuclear Power Plant currently under construction.
The Hungarian participants completed a 4,000-hour training programme and successfully passed the final examination. The graduates will train operating personnel for the new reactor units, contribute to the development of training programmes, and maintain staff qualifications throughout the plant's operating lifetime.
Four Thousand Hours of Training
The instructor training programme for Paks II began in 2022 and was developed in accordance with Hungarian requirements. The curriculum combined classroom instruction, simulator training at the St. Petersburg branch of Rosatom's Technical Academy, and practical training at Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant II. Each stage concluded with interim assessments of participants' knowledge and operational skills.
Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant II, equipped with Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactor units, was selected as the reference facility for a specific reason: the same reactor technology will be deployed at Paks II. Training at an operating unit gave future instructors direct experience with real operating conditions and plant equipment.
The theoretical portion of the programme was delivered at Rosatom Technical Academy facilities. Participants studied reactor physics, safety systems, technological processes, and operating procedures for both normal and emergency plant conditions. Practical instruction on a full-scope control room simulator enabled trainees to practice a wide range of scenarios, from routine operating procedures to the management of abnormal events.
Examination on the Day of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy
The final examination was administered by a commission that included representatives of JSC ASE, the project's general construction contractor, Rosenergoatom, and Rosatom Technical Academy. Graduates demonstrated theoretical knowledge, simulator operating skills, and readiness to perform instructor duties. They received diplomas and professional certificates qualifying them as Full-Scope Simulator Instructors.
The graduation ceremony took place on 26 June, the Day of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, underscoring the symbolic importance of the event for the nuclear industry. The newly qualified instructors are now ready to transfer their expertise to personnel assigned to the new reactor units and support the plant's safe operation throughout its service life.
Instructor preparation does not end with graduation. The participants will continue advanced training and retraining tailored to the specific characteristics of the Paks II site, Hungarian regulatory requirements, and the operational standards of the national utility.
The Role of the Instructor Corps
Building a dedicated instructor corps is one of the key elements in establishing a nuclear plant's future operating organization. Instructors are responsible for training control room operators, shift supervisors, and other operating personnel.
Their responsibilities also include helping develop training programmes and schedules, preparing simulator scenarios, evaluating personnel knowledge, and maintaining staff qualifications throughout their careers at the plant.
Construction of the Paks II training center is currently underway in Hungary. Once it enters service, most personnel training will move to the plant site. Russian specialists will continue working with their Hungarian counterparts on professional development, simulator operation, and the further enhancement of training programmes.
Scale of Personnel Training
The Paks II project includes training for 435 personnel assigned to key operational positions. Of those, 50 are currently receiving training in Russia.
The programme is designed to establish the plant's complete operating workforce before the new units enter commercial operation. Training is being conducted in parallel with construction and installation activities, allowing personnel to become familiar with the equipment and operating procedures they will later use in service.
Paks II is being built under the 2014 intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Hungary. The plant will comprise two Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactor units that meet enhanced modern safety requirements.
