What goes in Poland on 22th of September.
Poland’s atom from America on fast track to sign a deal before elections
„We have signed a consortium agreement, thereby consolidating the team that will design and build the first nuclear power plant in Poland at the planned Lubiatowo-Kopalino location,” Westinghouse said in a statement. The project agreement with Poles mey be signed even before the elections.
The American partners of the Polish nuclear power plant in Pomerania have created a consortium to design and build the facility. The basis for cooperation with Polish Nuclear Power Plants (PEJ), the target operator of the NPP, is to be a project agreement. Its fate is being negotiated, which was supposed to conclude in 2022.
However, it may happen in the autumn after a series of negotiations with PEJ. US companies and departments responsible for energy in both countries. Also in September, an agreement was signed on the creation of a clean technology center to train nuclear personnel in Poland and the region in which Westinghouse is interested.
The announcement of the ceremony with the participation of all interested parties scheduled for Friday, September 22, suggests the possibility that a project agreement on the Polish atom in Pomerania will be inked in September. The first reactor would be built in 2033, and Poland wants to have 6-9 GW of nuclear power by 2043.
If Poland and the US were to sign the project agreement in September, they would be making that step before the parliamentary election on the 5th of October 2023. The alternative is to sign a preliminary contract, which will not yet be an EPC contract. The next step towards the project agreement on September 22 was confirmed by two of our own sources.
Wojciech Jakóbik
The United States and Poland will create a center that will educate the region on nuclear energy
Poland and the United States will create a training center on clean energy technologies. The Center is to be located in Warsaw and will facilitate the preparation and education of future operators of NPPs and specialists on the atom, not just from Poland.
Poland and the United States have signed a cooperation agreement on the establishment of a Polish-American Regional Training Center for Clean Energy Technologies. This is the official confirmation of the news from August 2023, that BiznesAlert.p has reported onl.
„It’s an enterprise for years to come. This center is proof that we are moving in the right direction. Nuclear energy in Poland has a huge potential, but joint work requires the involvement of companies, institutions and our partners from the United States,” said Anna Moskwa, Minister of Climate and Environment during the signing ceremony of the agreement. „We want to start building a nuclear power plant in 2026, and the closer we get to the shovel, the more trainings that will prepare us for the future. This will allow for efficient and safe preparation for the birth of the atom. The first training sessions will be held in November,” she added.
„The training center is the basis of knowledge on nuclear culture. It will be a seedling for further projects related to the education of nuclear energy specialists. Efficient operation of technology requires this type of action. This is an important project that must be completed by a new generation, which is why we strongly urge young people to take an interest in education about the atom. When the plant starts, we will need operators, technicians and specialists. These young people in 10 years can work and be responsible for the state of nuclear energy in Poland,” said Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure.
„We will conduct training for all kinds of specialists, from welders to plant operators. Today we are announcing a project that will benefit the entire region,” said Mark Brzezinski, U.S. ambassador to Poland.
Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Adam Guibourge-Czetwertyński mentioned the participation of Polish companies in future nuclear energy projects. „This engagement is growing. In turn, our task is precisely to enable Polish entrepreneurs to be part of the nuclear power industry. There is a growing interest among Polish universities and the young generation of students. They will all be able to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the Americans,” said Adam Guibourgé-Chetwertyński, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment.
The Americans emphasize that they will support Poland in a smooth transition to clean energy technologies. „This is the first such Center in the region. The United States has a long history and experience in nuclear energy, which it wants to share with Poland and its neighbors. [ … ] I hope that this centre will help to develop professional opportunities and transfer knowledge in the design and management of a nuclear power plant. The training and scholarships we will offer will be an incentive to participate in the life of the atom in Poland,” said Dr. Kathryn Huff, head of the Office of Nuclear Energy in the US Department of Energy.
The center is to be established in Warsaw and provide staff for Westinghouse projects throughout the region. The company will build reactors in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Ukraine. It has received approval to use AP1000 technology at the first nuclear power plant in Pomerania, which is to consist of three reactors.
Jędrzej Stachura