Contracts signed for Poland's first nuclear power plant

Westinghouse Electric Company, Bechtel and Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe have signed the engineering contracts for Poland’s first nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Pomerania.

One week ago Westinghouse and Bechtel formed a consortium to design and build the power plant, after which Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe received a decision on environmental conditions providing a green light for the project.

The project will be built under the Polish Nuclear Power Program and will support the country's ambitions for cleaner power and energy security.

The contract scope includes finalising a site-specific design for three Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear islands, turbine island and balance of plant design work.

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The AP1000 Plant is a two-loop pressurised water reactor with a gross power rating of 3,415MWt and a 157-fuel-assembly core, which is well suited for new baseload generation. Also, it's the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems

“This is one of the most significant steps forward to date in US-Polish civil nuclear cooperation,” said Mark Brzezinski, US Ambassador to Poland. “This is not just a commercial venture. Our hope is to support Poland as it becomes a hub for civil nuclear technology deployment. Energy security is national security, and America’s security is interdependent with Poland’s security.”

In Georgia, US, Westinghouse and Bechtel are currently completing a sister project known as Plant Vogtle, where one AP1000 unit is producing power for the grid while a second unit recently completed its initial fuel load with commercial operations likely later this year or early-2024.

“Poland will deploy the most advanced and proven nuclear technology available today, that will provide clean, safe and reliable power, and create tens of thousands secure and sustainable energy jobs over multiple generations. This visionary project will further cement Poland as a premier center for advanced net zero energy solutions which will protect our citizens from climate change while ensuring energy independence.”

“We are entering a watershed moment not only for our investment project, but also for the entire energy transition process in Poland. Today's event concludes the planning stage of the nuclear power plant and commences the execution phase with relevant engineering work. In about 1.5 years, the signed contract will result in the design/engineering documentation of the first nuclear power plant to be built in Pomerania,” said Mateusz Berger, president of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe.