Construction has only just begun; deadlines are already shifting: the first Polish reactor to go online will, after all, be in 2036.

The Polish Council of Ministers has adopted the updated Polish Nuclear Energy Program (PPEJ), a strategic document defining the development of nuclear energy in the country. Under the new schedule, the start of commercial operation of the first nuclear power plant has been moved from 2033 to 2036, while the startup of the first unit at the second planned plant is now expected around 2040.

The updated program still envisions the construction of two nuclear power plants with a total capacity of up to 9 gigawatts, to reduce the country’s dependence on coal and meet the growing demand of industry for reliable, low-carbon energy. The Polish Ministry of Energy stressed that the new version of the program takes into account changes in the European energy market in recent years, including the energy crisis, the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and the need for stable baseload energy.

For the first nuclear power plant at the coastal site Lubjatovo-Kopalino in the municipality of Hočevo, where Westinghouse AP1000 technology is planned to be implemented and with the participation of Bechtel and the state company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), from 2025 to 2030 USD 15.4 billion have been allocated for recapitalization. It is expected that the first plant will reach full capacity by 2038, which represents a three-year delay compared to the original schedule.

Parallel to that, Poland continues work on preparing the second nuclear power plant, with Bechtel and Konjin remaining the preferred locations. Currently, there is ongoing dialogue with potential technology suppliers and contractors from the U.S. (likely also AP1000), France (EPR or EPR2) and Canada (CANDU technology), and the choice of strategic partner and technology is planned for 2027. Construction of the second plant is planned to begin in 2032, while the startup of the first unit has been moved by one year — to 2040.

However, a special focus of the updated program has been placed on developing the domestic supply chain: it is estimated that Polish companies could participate with around 40 percent of the project value during the construction of the first reactor, while as the development of subsequent units and obtaining certificates progresses that share could rise to as much as 70 percent.

Otherwise, the largest single financial segment within the program is dedicated to strengthening the regulatory body, namely the National Agency for Atomic Energy (NAEA), to increase the efficiency of licensing processes and nuclear safety.

In addition to the state program, other nuclear projects are being developed in Poland in parallel – such as the initiative by PGE to build South Korean APR1400 reactors at the Piątonnov site, as well as plans by SGE for a potential fleet of as many as 26 small modular reactors of the BWRX-300 type.

S.A.