Nuclear plants for Poland

Poland plans to build two nuclear power plants to help diversify its energy production, which relies heavily on domestic coal-fired plants. The first nuclear reactor is targeted for completion in 2020.

PGE is leading the country’s initiative to build two nuclear power plants, with each site featuring multiple reactors.

‘As we prepare to build Poland’s first commercial nuclear power plants, we are pleased that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is offering us their expertise,’said Tomasz Zadroga, management board president at PGE.‘We are committed to carefully choosing a reactor technology that meets our economic and technical priorities.’

Under a new agreement, GEH will help PGE study the feasibility of building up to four reactors based on one of GEH’s reactor designs: the 1,350MWe ABWR or the 1,520MWe ESBWR, GEH’s newest design.

GEH’s Generation III+ ESBWR is claimed to be the world’s most advanced passive-safety and natural-circulation reactor design.

The ESBWR is progressing in the design-certification process of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The agency’s published review schedule targets completion next year, the first for any reactor design currently under NRC review.