The Polish state plans to build several nuclear power plants in the near future to guarantee energy security and replace old and low-efficiency coal-fired power plants. Technological cooperation with American and South Korean companies has been announced.
Westinghouse – the first partner
The choice of an American manufacturer confirms that Poland’s strategic ally is the US. On Twitter, Mateusz Morawiecki stressed the importance of this choice:
“The robust partnership between Poland and the United States assures the accomplishment of collaborative ventures. Following recent productive talks with Vice President Kamala Harris and US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, we affirm the execution of the nuclear initiative utilizing the reliable and secure Westinghouse technology. I express my gratitude to Ambassador Mark Brzezinski for his support. Resolution of the Council of Ministers to follow on Wednesday”.
Poland’s first nuclear power plant is to be built in 2026, in the Lubiatowo-Kopalino commune and it is set to launch in 2033. Its capacity is planned to be between 6 and 9 gigawatts and its cost is estimated at almost $32 billion. The operation of the nuclear power plant is expected to generate more than 25,000 new jobs.
The AP1000 reactor
The American firm will utilize its AP1000 reactors for construction, which is a state-of-the-art pressurized water reactor (PWR) design. Despite its advanced features, there have been concerns expressed by some experts about this technology. These issues date back to the certification stage, with reports of vulnerabilities in the safety systems and malfunctioning emergency cooling. Additionally, the AP1000 may be susceptible to significant radioactivity releases in the event of an accident if there is any corrosion in the steel casing due to the “chimney effect”.
Koreans to join the other investment
Another investment will be carried out in Pątnów in cooperation with a consortium of Zygmunt Solorz, PGE and the Korean KHNP. The private investment is to be state-sponsored. The estimated cost is similar to the construction of the power plant from Westinghouse.
The APR1400 reactor
The other nuclear power plant utilizes the APR1400 reactor, a pressurized water design that uses heat generated from nuclear fission to heat water, which then drives a steam generator that produces electricity. The APR1400 technology is well established and has received certification in both the United States and the European Union. The manufacturer claims a lifespan of 60 years for the reactor, but with proper maintenance, it can potentially operate for an extended period.
SMRs – that is a small nuclear reactor
The final element of Poland’s nuclear power industry will be SMRs. Small nuclear reactors originate from the USA to solve the problems of high costs of building large reactors. There are just a few such power plants around the world. In Poland, Michał Sołowow’s Synthos and state-owned companies such as KGHM, Tauron and Orlen will be responsible for their construction.
SMRs are small modular reactors developed by NuScale Power based in Portland, USA. Their main advantage is their reduced environmental impact and the technology itself is cheap to operate. In addition, SMRs will help to reduce the amount of nuclear waste produced by using a closed loop.
The first small modular reactors are to be built for KGHM by the US company NuScale Power LLC. The first one is intended to become operational in 2029.
Bartłomiej Haba
