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A well-prepared professional team protecting the country

The idea to construct a high powered nuclear plant in Hungary with the help of the Soviet Union arose thirty-five years ago in1966. The intergovernmental agreement was signed on 28 December 1966. We would like to give a brief summary of the past three and a half decades in the following overview.

Hungarians 'coming from the Mars.'

Hungarian scientists played an important role in the process in which nuclear energy was allocated to serve mankind. Such names as Ede Teller, Leo Szilárd, Jenő Wigner, György Hevesi and János Neumann are familiar in all corners of the world. Their achievements induced the American galaxy researcher, Fritz Houtermans to make the following witty statement: 'The galaxy of scientific minds which worked on releasing nuclear energy was in fact compiled of visitors from Mars. But it was difficult for them to speak without accent so they said they were Hungarians as a disguise.'

May there be Paks

After the decision was made to construct the nuclear power plant experts started to look for the best site for it. There were 16 settlements in the first round and there was Paks and Bogyiszló left in the last round to compete and win. In April 1967 a committee of hundred people visited Paks and had a look at the site where there were the local agricultural co-operative's cowsheds and fold. The decision was made: the greatest project in Hungary was to be started there. Paks and its neighbourhood began to develop very fast. The construction started in 1969, but one year later it was stopped due to energy policy considerations. Excavating machines started to work again after a three-year long break and in 1975 the foundation stone of the four-unit nuclear power plant, transported by the Soviet Union, was laid. At its peak twelve thousand people worked at the construction site. During the construction the keyword was and since then as well it has been that everything must be done with triple safety.

Gigantic dimensions

The water-pressurised units were constructed with international co-operation taking into consideration the safety philosophy conditions. During the construction quality expectations and the parts of transported equipment were examined and checked. The special care paid its dividends later and led to outstanding results in the operation. The safety units of the power plant consist of three independent and equal systems. The nuclear technology is in a hermetically sealed area in a closed, pressure-tight part of the reactor building. The first unit of the Paks Nuclear Power plant was connected to the national electrical grid on 28 December 1982 and it was followed by further three units until 1987. What gigantic work it was. The electrical power capacity of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant's four units is 1840 megawatt, this way the power plant provides 40 percent of Hungary's power generation. According to the data published annually by the international industry press comparing the world's nuclear plants on the basis of their production indexes the units in Paks are regularly highly ranked. Besides this the nuclear power plant regularly initiates external independent audits to qualify its own operations. The revision reports have revealed favourable results regarding the condition, safety level and continuous safety improvements as well at the nuclear facility in Paks.

Hazards can be avoided

Trust in nuclear power plants was shaken by the disaster in Chernobil fifteen years ago all over the world. Perhaps generations will have had to grow up by the time everybody understands and accepts Ede Teller's statement, who worked out and applied the thermonuclear reaction theory, which says: the danger of nuclear reactors is little and known therefore avoidable. Paks nuclear power plant doesn't consume oxygen, doesn't emit million tons of carbon-dioxide, sulphur-dioxide, dust, flying ashes and other combustion products into the atmosphere. The power plant always keeps the strict authority requirements regarding the gaseous, liquid materials' planned and checked emission, only emits a small portion of the permitted quantity, activity level.

Efficient fire protection

Already at the beginnings of the construction experts had to recognise the important fact that one of the basic conditions of safe work and operation was to create the fire protection installed in all corners of the huge complex and to establish a highly qualified fire service. -Laymen's unfounded fear of nuclear power plants is fed generally by the fear of nuclear accidents - says Géza Rósa, the head of the industrial safety department of the nuclear power plant. - Although the only source of actual emergency, which must be handled and is handled in an appropriate way is fire. Safety is provided not only by the installed facilities but also by a highly qualified personnel. István Csöglei was already present when the site of the power plant was marked out, later he was the head of the team organised to establish fire protection at the construction. As a pensioner he has been assisting in fire protection education at the power plant, has been giving advice to the young and guiding visitors to the power plant for fifteen years. He has been engaged in research into the history of Hungarian fire service for thirty years. He has written several books on the topic, among them the history of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. He speaks about the 'heroic age' with enthusiasm and love: -At the beginnings we organised the plant's fire service from the workers but we soon realised that fire protection must be provided by a professional organisation. We were successful, on 1st May 1990 the Paks Nuclear Power Plant Fire Service Department, which was a state organisation, was put into operation. Four years later the highly qualified successful team due to a law regulation had to be reorganised into a private fire service. The process was carried out without problems.

You mustn't make a mistake
-The work of the team is really special even compared with other fire services. As the protection of the power plant means not only protecting life and properties of the direct vicinity but also of the neighbourhood in a wider sense, the whole country, the life and existence of more than ten million Hungarian citizens. This is a field you mustn't make a mistake- emphasised Sándor Juhász, the founding managing director of Atomix Ltd. No wonder the Paks nuclear power plant fire service has a high standard of requirements for the personnel. Peter Bőhm, the chief commander of the Fire Service gave some more details. -The power plant facility fire service has developed a lot, the original number of personnel increased first from eight to 37 then to 67. After the nuclear power plant was put into operation the tasks regarding the safety requirements increased and could be carried out by a proper number of personnel and with up-to-date equipment of the age. In March 1992 one of the most modern fire stations was opened in Hungary providing the technical conditions for mobile fire protection.

-What about personnel conditions?
-The employees have to meet very strict requirements when they start to work and the conditions of work on a long term are even more complex. Before the officers are employed they have to have besides the usual medical and psychiatric check-ups a graphology examination too. A secondary school qualification and a professional driving license are a compulsory requirement for everybody and a higher education degree is a must to be an officer. Employment means a definite term: 6 months for a subordinate 12 months for an officer and they have to do several courses and training courses meanwhile. Physical condition, endurance are measured according to a well-elaborated system. An applicant is employed on condition that he fulfils the basic requirements of certain exercises such as press-up, running etc. and is allowed to work as long as he can maintain the required level of condition. Competent or poor accomplishment is indicated in salaries as well since according to our evaluation system part of the earnings depends how someone can preserve his body, psyche and health. Doing yoga and sports are compulsory everyday routines but our employees continually prove their academic knowledge as well. Relaxation and co-operation training courses are regularly organised for them, which help to keep their psyche fit. Our personnel take part in minimum 180 registered drills.

-What special tasks does the power plant fire service have compared with traditional fire services?
-Our fire service also carries out fire preventing, fire extinguishing and damage eliminating tasks bur but the performance of our activities is limited to the power plant's site in Paks. Naturally, we keep close contact with the professional fire service we co-operate with them in examining fire cases, organise common drills. Nevertheless our tasks are far more complex. We have to co-operate in emergency situations, of course on the base of a strict procedure plan. We take part in revealing possible operational incidents and their elimination together with the personnel. We are in charge of the ambulance and transport of the injured at the site of the power plant. Besides the personnel in service there are ten more people on 24-hour duty and they have to appear in an hour in case of alarm. At the site of the power plant we carry out rescue work from depth and height as well using alpine technique.

First in the world

During our visit to the power plant and its fire service we were also ascertained what István Csöglei, who is an expert with many-decade experience, declared is well-established and the Paks nuclear power plant is protected by the best private fire service in Hungary. This statement has also been proved by the fact that fire service was the first in the world to receive the certificate of MSZ EN ISO 9002 qualification among other fire services.

Timea Tóth
Kecskeméti Lapok