Agreement signed on second Polish nuclear power plant

In September 2021, it was announced that six large pressurised water reactors with a combined installed capacity of 6-9 GWe could be built by 2040 as part of the country's plan to reduce its reliance on coal. According to the adopted schedule, the construction of the first nuclear power plant would start in 2026, with the first reactor - with a capacity of 1.0-1.6 GWe - being commissioned in 2033. Subsequent units would be implemented every 2 to 3 years.

The Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland was selected as the preferred location for the country's first large nuclear power plant, which will have a capacity of 3,750 MWe, using Westinghouse's AP1000 technology. An agreement setting a plan for the delivery of the plant was signed in May 2023 by Westinghouse, Bechtel and Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ). Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.

Work has now started on the second nuclear power plant, with Bełchatów and Konin the preferred locations.

PEJ - a special-purpose vehicle 100% owned by Poland's State Treasury - is to be the investor and coordinator of the second nuclear power plant project, while state-owned power company Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) will prepare site analyses and preliminary feasibility studies in collaboration with potential technology suppliers, according to a new agreement signed by the Ministry of Energy, PEJ and PGE. The document introduces the assumptions of the updated Polish nuclear power programme, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 29 September.

"The cooperation is intended to ensure the effective use of the resources and experience of both companies and to improve investment preparation, also through appropriate coordination of activities at the government administration level," the Ministry of Energy said. It noted that PEJ was responsible for preparing the design of the first Polish nuclear power plant, while PGE - whose group includes PGE Energia Jądrowa - also has experience in preparing nuclear projects.

Under the recent update to the country's nuclear power programme, the first unit is now scheduled to start commercial operation in 2036, and the plant is expected to reach full capacity by 2038 - three years later than previously planned.

The ministry said a competitive dialogue was under way to select a technology supplier and project contractor for the second plant. The USA, France, and Canada have joined the process. "A key element of this process will be for suppliers to prepare preliminary feasibility studies for power plants using the technologies they offer," it said. "The aim of the procedure is to select a comprehensive offer encompassing technology, investment financing, and elements of broader strategic cooperation. For the second power plant, as for the first, the proven technology of large-scale Generation III+ light-water reactors is being considered."

Key milestones for the second power plant under the updated nuclear power programme are: the selection of a strategic partner and technology in 2027; construction to start around 2032; and the first unit to start up around 2040 – one year behind the previous schedule.

The ministry said the final decision on the second plant would be made after conducting the necessary research and analyses to confirm the feasibility of the investment.

Agreement welcomed

"The construction of a second nuclear power plant is an undertaking that requires close cooperation between the state and state-owned companies," said Minister of State Assets Wojciech Balczun. "Today's agreement demonstrates our exemplary cooperation, effectively combining the expertise and experience of various entities to achieve the common goal of Poland's energy security."

Wojciech Wrochna, Deputy Minister of Energy and Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure, added: "We now have site analyses, feasibility studies, and technology selection ahead of us. We intend to conduct this process competitively to develop favourable investment implementation conditions, taking into account not only technology but also financing and long-term strategic cooperation."

"We are embarking on the second nuclear power plant with something we didn't have at the start of the first investment: experience from the first project," said Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of PEJ. "We know how to manage administrative processes, organise dialogue with partners, and prepare for implementation of a project of this scale."

Dariusz Lubera, President of the Management Board of PGE, said: "I believe that the combination of knowledge, experience, and competence of both companies will enable the successful implementation of this ambitious project, which is of strategic importance for the future of the Polish energy sector and the entire economy."