Hungary replaces head of Paks II nuclear power project company.

István Kapitány, Hungary’s Minister of Economy and Energy, announced on July 24 the dismissal of Gergely Jákli as CEO of Paks II Nuclear Power Plant Ltd. (Paks II Atomeromu Zrt). The company is responsible for advancing the construction of the Paks II nuclear power plant, a project utilizing a design from Russia’s Rosatom.

Kapitány also announced the appointment of Attila Szagodi as the new CEO of Paks II Nuclear Power Plant Ltd. He stated that Szagodi possesses over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, corporate governance, and the energy sector, and is well-versed in nuclear technology—qualifications that make him suitable to lead the project into its next phase.

Szagodi has a long track record in investment consulting for energy projects and previously worked with the energy practice team at EY. Kapitány noted that the new CEO will be responsible for ensuring transparent project management and clear economic viability, while strictly adhering to nuclear safety, quality assurance, and regulatory requirements.

The Paks II project is currently undergoing a review by Hungarian authorities. The Hungarian government, led by Péter Magyar, had previously announced plans to review the construction contract, citing concerns that project costs might be inflated. Kapitány recently confirmed that this review process is underway.

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, has previously stated that the company is ready to answer all questions raised by its Hungarian partners and to provide clarifications regarding the various parameters of the Paks II nuclear power plant project.