Feb 20, 2026
The US aims to strengthen nuclear energy partnerships in Slovakia and Hungary.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revealed initiatives aimed at advancing nuclear projects utilizing US technology in Slovakia and Hungary.
In a statement from his department, after Rubio's visits to both nations, it was disclosed that the newly signed US-Slovakia intergovernmental agreement will initiate US funding for the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for a "new Westinghouse large reactor build."
The statement explained: "The FEED work will be conducted under the Department of State's Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology Program, which assists countries in establishing safe, secure, and responsible nuclear energy programs."
Last month, the US Department of Energy remarked that the endeavor to develop a new "state-owned American 1,200 MWe nuclear unit" at the Bohunice Nuclear Power Plant in Slovakia is anticipated to "generate thousands of American jobs in fields such as engineering, advanced manufacturing, construction, nuclear fuel services, and project management, while bolstering US supply chains and broadening access to global markets for American nuclear technology."
The Slovak government aims to operationalize the proposed new unit by 2040 or 2041.
During another segment of his European journey, in Budapest, Rubio signed the US-Hungary Civil Nuclear Intergovernmental Agreement, which the department highlighted as reinforcing US dedication to establishing Hungary as a center for regional small modular reactor (SMR) development. It encouraged Hungary to adopt US SMR technology and confirmed that US company Holtec International is prepared to assist Hungary with spent nuclear fuel storage using a highly secure, safe, and flexible dry cask storage system, pending parliamentary approval.
Similar to Slovakia, Hungary possesses existing nuclear capabilities. The Paks plant, located 100 kilometers south of Budapest, currently operates four Russian-supplied VVER-440 pressurized water reactors, which were commissioned between 1982 and 1987.
Hungary is also expanding its nuclear capacity through the Paks II project, where an inter-governmental agreement was established in early 2014 for Russian companies and their international partners to supply two VVER-1200 reactors at Paks, along with a Russian state loan of up to EUR10.0 billion (USD10.5 billion) to cover 80% of the costs. The first concrete for the initial new unit was poured earlier this month.
Hungary is also exploring the implementation of SMRs. The Hungarian nuclear energy development firm Hunatom signed a letter of intent in August with Poland's Synthos Green Energy to create a preliminary framework for collaborative efforts regarding the development of up to 10 GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors.
Following discussions between the leaders of both nations in November, the US State Department stated that "Hungary indicated its intention to back the construction of up to 10 SMRs, with a potential value of up to USD20 billion." In December, Holtec International announced a memorandum of understanding with Hungary's energy company MVM to investigate the deployment of Holtec's SMR-300 small modular reactor technology.
After this week's visit, Hungary's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that they had "entered into an alliance with the Americans in the nuclear energy sector," emphasizing that "new and previously unknown technologies are being developed in the United States, and the agreement will allow Hungary to quickly benefit from these advancements."
In a statement from his department, after Rubio's visits to both nations, it was disclosed that the newly signed US-Slovakia intergovernmental agreement will initiate US funding for the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for a "new Westinghouse large reactor build."
The statement explained: "The FEED work will be conducted under the Department of State's Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology Program, which assists countries in establishing safe, secure, and responsible nuclear energy programs."
Last month, the US Department of Energy remarked that the endeavor to develop a new "state-owned American 1,200 MWe nuclear unit" at the Bohunice Nuclear Power Plant in Slovakia is anticipated to "generate thousands of American jobs in fields such as engineering, advanced manufacturing, construction, nuclear fuel services, and project management, while bolstering US supply chains and broadening access to global markets for American nuclear technology."
The Slovak government aims to operationalize the proposed new unit by 2040 or 2041.
During another segment of his European journey, in Budapest, Rubio signed the US-Hungary Civil Nuclear Intergovernmental Agreement, which the department highlighted as reinforcing US dedication to establishing Hungary as a center for regional small modular reactor (SMR) development. It encouraged Hungary to adopt US SMR technology and confirmed that US company Holtec International is prepared to assist Hungary with spent nuclear fuel storage using a highly secure, safe, and flexible dry cask storage system, pending parliamentary approval.
Similar to Slovakia, Hungary possesses existing nuclear capabilities. The Paks plant, located 100 kilometers south of Budapest, currently operates four Russian-supplied VVER-440 pressurized water reactors, which were commissioned between 1982 and 1987.
Hungary is also expanding its nuclear capacity through the Paks II project, where an inter-governmental agreement was established in early 2014 for Russian companies and their international partners to supply two VVER-1200 reactors at Paks, along with a Russian state loan of up to EUR10.0 billion (USD10.5 billion) to cover 80% of the costs. The first concrete for the initial new unit was poured earlier this month.
Hungary is also exploring the implementation of SMRs. The Hungarian nuclear energy development firm Hunatom signed a letter of intent in August with Poland's Synthos Green Energy to create a preliminary framework for collaborative efforts regarding the development of up to 10 GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors.
Following discussions between the leaders of both nations in November, the US State Department stated that "Hungary indicated its intention to back the construction of up to 10 SMRs, with a potential value of up to USD20 billion." In December, Holtec International announced a memorandum of understanding with Hungary's energy company MVM to investigate the deployment of Holtec's SMR-300 small modular reactor technology.
After this week's visit, Hungary's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that they had "entered into an alliance with the Americans in the nuclear energy sector," emphasizing that "new and previously unknown technologies are being developed in the United States, and the agreement will allow Hungary to quickly benefit from these advancements."