Hungarian nuclear power plant to connect to TETRA network

Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant will soon be connected to the country’s TETRA network, EDR (Unified Digital Radio Communications System) — enhancing the installation’s security and public safety, according to Airbus.

The company announced it will be supplying and maintaining the plant’s network after being granted an order by government communications service provider Pro-M.

The system — to be installed by mid-2021 — will contain two switches, two base stations, network management, dispatcher stations, voice recording, a short data service (SDS) server and real-time capacity monitoring, Airbus said.

The improved communications should help prevent, or mitigate the impact of, any incidents and facilitate cooperation between all emergency organisations, the company added.

Airbus’s Head of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe for Secure Land Communications, Markus Kolland, said the project “fits perfectly into Airbus’s critical national infrastructure development approach, which includes the implementation of products and solutions for mission-critical and security-oriented companies, amongst others”.

Airbus believes it won the contract due to its close relationship with Pro-M and MVM Paks NPP, assisted by the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority, as well as its experience in providing TETRA networks and infrastructures in the country.

EDR plays an important role in enabling cooperation between Hungary’s public safety organisations and covers around 99% of the country, the company explained. Currently EDR has around 55,000 users belonging to public safety agencies such as the police, border guards, fire service, catastrophe prevention, ambulance, armed forces and security services.

Image provided by Airbus.