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“On Wednesday we issued a decision-in-principle for Polish Nuclear Power Plants (PEJ), which brings us closer to the first NPP in our country,” said Climate Minister Anna Moskwa.
The minister added that this document was a formal confirmation that the planned investment was in line with the public interest and the government’s energy policy.
The main role of the decision is to confirm that the investment is in line with the policy pursued by the state, including energy policy. This decision is also required when applying for all subsequent decisions and permits required in the investment process for nuclear power plants.
“Today we have issued a decision-in-principle for PEJ, which brings us closer to the construction of the first nuclear power plant in our country,” Anna Moskwa tweeted. “Nuclear power will ensure the stability of power supply and diversification of energy sources, and thus – the energy sovereignty of our country,” she added.
In December 2021, PEJ indicated the coastal location Lubiatowo-Kopalino in the Choczewo commune as its preferred location. According to the adopted schedule, the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Poland will begin in 2026, and in 2033 the first unit with a capacity of about 1-1.6 GW will be launched. More blocks are to be launched every two to three years, and the entire nuclear program assumes the construction of six nuclear blocks with a total installed capacity of about 6 to 9 GW.
At the end of June, the Council of Ministers adopted a resolution on establishing a program to support infrastructure investments in the Pomorskie Voivodship for the needs of, among others, a nuclear power plant. More than PLN 4.7 billion has been allocated for the implementation of the programme in 2023-2029. The programme provides for the construction of a national road, the construction or reconstruction of railway infrastructure and the construction of hydrotechnical infrastructure providing access to, among others, a nuclear power plant in the area of the municipalities of Choczewo or Gniewino and Krokowa.
“The decision in principle is an expression of political acceptance for the construction of a nuclear facility in a given place in a given technology, by a given investor” explained Maciej Lipka from the foundation Nuclear.pl. “In the Polish legal system this document is necessary to start the proper licensing process, which includes the permits from the President of the State Atomic Energy Agency regarding the facility’s security. PEJ was the first to obtain the decision in principle in Poland and submitted the application as soon as possible after the entry into force of the relevant provisions enabling it,” he added.
“We also know from media reports that similar applications have been submitted for several Orlen Synthos Green Energy locations, which wants to build BWRX-300 SMRs. An application was also submitted by KGHM, but it was classified, so it is not known where and in what technology the reactor will be built,” Lipka explained. “Unfortunately, the rules do not require disclosure in this regard, so we do not know if this is a complete list. Perhaps this should be changed, because transparency is one of the pillars of a well-functioning nuclear industry,” the expert suggested.
Polish Nuclear Power Plants / Wojciech Jakóbik / Jacek Perzyński
