Polish government approves first nuclear power plant

The Polish government has approved a plan to build the country’s first nuclear power plant using US technology, with the first reactor due for launch in 2033, the climate and environment minister has said.

Anna Moskwa announced the move via Twitter on July 12, Polskie Radio reports via Polish state news agency PAP.

The Polish climate and environment minister wrote: “Today we issued a decision-in-principle for the Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe company, which brings us closer to the construction of the first nuclear power plant in our country.”

She added that “nuclear energy will ensure stability of supply and diversification of the sources of energy, and therefore the energy sovereignty of our country.”

The governmental decision-in-principle confirms that the project aligns with state policy, including energy policy, the PAP news agency reported.

The document is a basic requirement for projects to build nuclear power plants, according to officials.

The state utility PEJ applied for a decision-in-principle for Poland’s first nuclear station in April, the PAP news agency reported.

On Wednesday, PEJ said in a statement that “securing the decision-in-principle represents another milestone towards the construction of a nuclear power plant in Pomorskie province” in northern Poland.

In May, the Polish government and PEJ signed a “milestone” agreement with US nuclear companies Westinghouse and Bechtel on the design and construction of Poland’s first planned nuclear power plant.

Poland’s first nuclear station is set to be built in the northern villages of Lubiatowo and Kopalino using Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor technology, officials said.

Construction is set to start in 2026, with the first of three reactors slated to be ready in 2033, according to the Polish government. 

In April, Poland’s state-run energy giant PGE and the biggest private energy firm ZE PAK created a joint-venture company that will team up with South Korea’s KHNP to build a nuclear plant in western Poland, news outlets reported at the time.  

In all, Poland’s nuclear energy policy foresees the creation of six nuclear reactors with a combined installed capacity of 6-9 GW, the PAP news agency reported.