Bechtel assumes responsibility for Polish plant site

Bechtel will be responsible for both the execution and supervision of the work carried out during the preparation of the future construction site, as well as cooperation with the investment subcontractors and ensuring safety on the site in Lubiatowo-Kopalino, in the Choczewo municipality of Pomerania in northern Poland.

"This is a very important day for both Bechtel and the implementation of the entire multi-year project to build a key infrastructure and energy project for our country - the first nuclear power plant in Poland," said Leszek Hołda, President of Bechtel Polska. "We are formally becoming the site's administrators, taking over this role from Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. This marks the investment's transition to the next stage - a phase of further operational activities, carried out by Bechtel engineers and experts, as well as specialised contractors, including local contractors."

The takeover of site management coincides with the selection of Budimex SA, one of the largest construction companies in Poland, as the main contractor for earthworks.

Initially, this will include ground levelling, reconstruction and expansion of drainage systems, and construction of a network of temporary roads totalling about 16 kilometres (10 miles). Simultaneously, work will be carried out to prepare the site for future technical, logistics, and production facilities, as well as adapting existing infrastructure. An extensive construction site will also be constructed, including fuel storage and refuelling areas, car washes, equipment maintenance workshops, storage yards, and material warehouses, as well as office, staff, and sanitary facilities. Work, under the permit obtained, is scheduled to take place between the third quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2029.

Ground movement and levelling will be carried out on the more than 300-hectare future construction site. Additional embankments will be constructed to prepare the area for the commencement of the main construction work. About 6 km of drainage ditches, along with culverts and erosion protection, will also be constructed.

_{(Image: US Embassy Warsaw)}

"Budimex has been involved in projects of fundamental importance to Poland's development for many years," said Artur Popko, President of the Management Board of Budimex SA. "For nearly 60 years, we have been building roads, railways, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure. These investments benefit millions of people every day. I am extremely satisfied that Bechtel - the general contractor of Poland's first nuclear power plant - has trusted Polish contractors and entrusted us with the initial work, which paves the way for the next stages of this key investment. We are proud that, as a Polish company, we can participate in a project that will be of fundamental importance to the security and future of our country."

Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of PEJ, said: "The handover of the site where Poland's first nuclear power plant is being built, along with the commencement of earthworks, marks the next, very concrete steps towards commencing construction. After years of preparation, research, and obtaining the necessary administrative decisions, we are entering a phase of intensive fieldwork. This is clear evidence that the Polish nuclear programme is moving from planning to implementation. Over 200 people are already working on the project site, and this number will steadily increase in the coming months. Entrusting Bechtel with the coordination of the work will allow us to maintain the planned pace of implementation and effectively prepare the project for the next stages of construction."

The background

In November 2022, the then Polish government selected Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for construction at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland. In September 2023, Westinghouse, Bechtel and PEJ - a special-purpose vehicle 100% owned by Poland's State Treasury - signed an 18-month engineering services contract under which Westinghouse and Bechtel will finalise a site-specific design for a plant featuring three AP1000 reactors. In April last year, PEJ and the Westinghouse-Bechtel Consortium agreed the terms and conditions of an Engineering Development Agreement (EDA) after the previous agreement expired.

_{How the completed plant could look (Image: Polish Government)}

On 29 December, PEJ announced it had signed an amendment to the EDA with the Westinghouse-Bechtel Consortium. The amended scope of the agreement provides for the continuation of design works covering the nuclear island, turbine island, and the balance of plant, as well as further in-depth geological survey campaigns. This, it said, allows it to maintain the project schedule by advancing the power plant design and continuing field works, while simultaneously conducting negotiations and finalising the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract, "which will ultimately determine our cooperation with the Westinghouse-Bechtel Consortium".

On 31 March this year, PEJ submitted an application to the President of Poland's National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) for a construction permit.

PEJ said it expects to pour first concrete for the plant's first unit in the fourth quarter of 2028. In order to meet this schedule, the company must obtain both a construction permit from the PAA and a building permit from the Pomeranian Voivode. PEJ said it plans to submit a building permit application in 2027.

Construction of each reactor is expected to take about seven years. This will be followed by approximately one year of testing and commissioning. The aim is for the first reactor to begin commercial operation in 2036, the second in 2037, and the third in 2038.