The European Commission has approved a support package for the construction and operation of Poland’s first nuclear power plant (NPP). It declares the package compatible with EU state aid rules.
Warsaw has secured funding for the NPP, estimated to cost around 192 billion złoty.
Authorities plan to contribute around €14 billion in capital. This covers 30% of the total project cost. In December, 4.6 billion złoty (€1.9 billion) will go to the project company.
Location and importance
The power station will rise in the northern municipality of Choczewo near the Baltic Sea coast. It forms a key part of Poland’s energy transition.
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) handles the project. An amendment to the February 2025 law allows public support up to 60.2 billion złoty (€14 billion) by 2030.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said construction could start as early as December. “This was an absolutely necessary condition and not easy to obtain,” he noted.
Timeline and technology
Poland cooperates with US companies Westinghouse and Bechtel. Nuclear concrete for the first reactor is scheduled for 2028.
The plant will feature three AP1000 reactors, each with 1,250 MWe capacity. The first unit should complete in 2035, with electricity flowing in 2036. The third unit will operate by 2038.
In early October, PEJ vice president Piotr Piela said 30 commercial banks worldwide expressed initial interest in financing.
Projections for 2040 show the plant reaching around 88.5% capacity. This will provide reliable and stable electricity for Poland and secure energy for industry long-term.
Benefits for energy sector
The project strengthens Poland’s energy independence and reduces CO2 emissions.
Deputy Minister of Energy and Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure Wojciech Wrochna said the plant offers security, grid stability and clean energy. “All these elements are taken into account in the Commission’s decision,” he stated at a press conference.
“The power plant will operate at a very high load and at relatively low cost.”
Environmental advantages
Professor Mikołaj Oettingen from the Department of Energy and Fuels at AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow told Euronews that Poland considered an NPP 15 years ago.
Recent acceleration stems from favourable economic and political conditions. Decision-makers recognise the urgent need for nuclear in the energy mix.
“Nuclear power is a zero-carbon source essential for stable electricity system operation. It emits no carbon dioxide. Its implementation will replace outdated coal plants, reduce CO2 emissions and support climate goals,” Oettingen said.
He noted nuclear plants are the most efficient generators, independent of weather. Poland’s nuclear power will provide stable baseload energy for 60-80 years.
Source: Euronews
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