Westinghouse developing Polish AP1000 supply chain

Friday, 23 September 2022

The MoUs were signed in the Polish capital Warsaw in the presence of the US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzeziński.

The memoranda establish cooperation with the following companies: Kersten, Famur Famak SA, Mostostal Puławy SA, Sefako SA, ZPUE SA, Grupa Powen-Wafapomop SA, Emerson Automation Solutions, Monta Materials Handling, GL Steel, Bureau Veritas Polska, Prochem SA, ZRE Katowice SA, Energoprojekt Katowice SA, APS Energia SA, TÜV NORD Polska, Izotechnik, Grafton Recruitment, Ecol, Mostostal Kraków, Eaton Electric and Energomontaż-Północ-Bełchatów SA.

"The involvement of the Polish industry in the creation of the nuclear industry in the country and its first power plant is absolutely crucial," said Westinghouse Poland President Mirosław Kowalik. "Polish industry and companies have a wealth of experience and know-how in the construction of power units of all kinds. Many of them also have experience in working on nuclear projects around Europe, which we want to make the most of. These memoranda open opportunities for cooperation not only for the Polish project but also potentially in the entire CEE region."

"The signing between Westinghouse and Polish suppliers is another key step in the strategic US-Poland partnership on nuclear energy," Brzeziński said. "Over the next several decades this project will create thousands of jobs in Poland and help build experience that can be used to support similar projects around the world."

Earlier this month, the USA and Poland set out a detailed bilateral roadmap for the construction of six large nuclear reactors using US technology and a framework for strategic cooperation in civil nuclear energy.

The Concept and Execution Report for Civil Nuclear Cooperation, which fulfills an obligation under a 2020 intergovernmental agreement on nuclear energy cooperation, reflects more than 18 months of intensive work and millions of dollars of US-funded analysis and assessments, the two nations said in a joint press release. It is supported by detailed studies by Westinghouse and Bechtel on the feasibility of AP1000 technology to deliver on the expectations of the Polish nuclear power programme and Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), the investor in the construction of nuclear power plants in Poland.

In July last year, Westinghouse announced the launch of front-end engineering and design work - based on AP1000 technology - under a grant from the US Trade and Development Agency "to progress" the nuclear energy programme in Poland. EDF of France submitted a "non-binding preliminary offer" to supply six EPR reactors in October. Poland has also received an offer from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power for the construction of six APR-1400 reactors.

The coastal towns of Lubiatowo and Kopalino in Poland's Choczewo municipality have been named as the preferred location for the country's first large nuclear power plant.