Polski
Nearly 25 years after work on Poland’s first nuclear power plant, specifically in Żarnowiec, was discontinued, the topic of using the atom in the Polish energy sector has returned. On May 25, 2023. The contract for the design of the facility has been signed, and now the phase of work related to its construction is moving from the offices to the field, where geological surveys are beginning.
Geological work has begun on the site of the planned project
Poland’s first nuclear power plant is to be built in the municipality of Choczewo (Pomorskie Voivodeship), in the Lubiatowo-Kopalino area, which includes. Such villages as Jackowo, Sasino and to a small extent Słajszewo. With the beginning of May, geological surveys began in the area, which are expected to last until the end of the year. This is a significant step forward, bringing Poland closer to realizing the nuclear power plant project. Activities related to its construction are becoming visible on the project site.
P.S.D., based in Slupsk and acting on behalf of Bechtel, is responsible for carrying out the field work. These will include approx. 30 hectares of the area, where approx. 220 test points, each with depths ranging from 20 to 210 meters. The geological data obtained is intended to detail the geological-engineering and hydrogeological conditions of the site, which will be crucial in the design of the power plant’s main construction facilities, such as the three power units, the inflow pool, and the cooling and discharge water channels. They will also be the basis for obtaining a construction permit.
Poland’s first nuclear power plant – what you should know
The company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, owned by the State Treasury, is responsible for building Poland’s first nuclear power plant. In May 2023. It has signed a contract for the design of the facility with the US consortium Westinghouse-Bechtel, which has 18 months to create it. The nuclear power plant under construction at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site is to consist of three units built on the basis of American Westwinghouse technology – AP1000, which uses a Generation III+ reactor, along with extensive passive safety systems. Its electrical capacity will be a maximum of 3750 MWe.
As announced, the commissioning of the first unit of the power plant, a facility with a capacity of approx. 1-1.6 GW, was planned for 2033. However, during the debate Polish Energy. Ambitious and Safe, organized as part of the European Economic Congress, Industry Minister Marzena Czarnecka gave a new date – 2040.
Once the nuclear power plant is operational, Poland will become the 14th country in Europe to use the atom for energy production. According to the Nuclear Energy Agency (IAEA), in 2022. there were 133 reactors in operation in the European Union, responsible for producing a quarter of all electricity. Their largest number operates in France (56 reactors).
Why does Poland need a nuclear power plant?
The construction of our country’s first nuclear power plant is one of the goals of Poland’s Energy Policy to 2040(PEP2040), approved in 2021. It is a strategic investment that will have an impact on the country’s sustainable development, replacing aging coal-fired power plants and supporting inefficient RES systems.
The power plant will increase energy security by diversifying the sources of electricity generation. According to the assumptions of the Polish nuclear power program, its share in the energy mix in Poland approx. 2045 r. will be 20 percent. At the same time, by making power generation independent of fluctuations in the market prices of coal, gas and oil, the investment will guarantee lower prices for end users.
In addition to economic and business considerations, there are also environmental benefits in favor of building a nuclear power plant. Its launch in Poland will translate into lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen and sulfur compounds (SOX and NOX) or dust and other harmful gases. This is evidenced by the examples of France, Sweden or the province of Ontario in Canada. Nuclear power in these countries has made it possible to carry out effective and rapid decarbonization, helping to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to less than 100 kgCO2/MWh.
Thus, the above issues prove that a nuclear power plant is a stable source of energy with a long life, with very low environmental and system costs. In this way, it can help Poland meet European climate goals and, at the same time, curb the rise in energy costs for end users.
Photo. main: Polish Nuclear Power Plants
