Nuclear power plants to be built in Poland
During the Economic Forum in Karpacz on 6 September, KGHM Polska Miedź SA and SN Nuclearelectrica SA announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the project development for small modular reactors (SMRs).
.The cooperation between KGHM Polska Miedź SA and SN Nuclearelectrica SA under the Memorandum aims at 36 month-long exchange of experience and know-how, including the technical, economic, legal, financial and organisational aspects necessary for the design development of small modular reactor projects that Romania and Poland are planning to develop.
‘For KGHM, nuclear power means energetical independence and lower costs. Investment in SMRs is a priority. It will also allow us to maintain a competitive business edge on a global scale. Introducing innovative nuclear power technology based on small modules is a breakthrough in the Polish economy. Cooperation with an experienced Romanian partner provides us with a support vital for this project,’ said Marcin Chludziński, President & CEO of KGHM Polska Miedź SA.
‘The international interest in the development of SMRs is directly proportional to the interest of countries in ensuring energy security and achieving decarbonisation goals, given that the innovative features of this technology – modularity and flexibility – directly reduce the design development costs and time consumption. With over 25 years of experience in the safe operation of its nuclear power plant, Romania is the first European country to initiate the development of the NuScale SMR, the only SMR technology certified at the international level. We are happy we can collaborate and share our experiences, conclusions and support with KGHM in its first steps in implementing that safe, clean and innovative technology,’ said Cosmin Ghita, CEO at SN Nuclearelectrica SA.
The Memorandum signed by the two parties covers a comprehensive approach to all developmental activities related to the SMR project, from site selection to power plant shut-down, intending to develop reliable, safe and cost-effective SMR projects in Romania and Poland.
As the first two countries to combine the pursuit of energy independence and one of the most advanced nuclear power technologies – in the form of the innovative NuScale small modular reactor technology – Romania and Poland will strengthen their energy security with a safe, stable, and affordable source of clean energy while achieving their decarbonisation goals.
The project, which Romania will develop in partnership with NuScale, will consist of 6 modules, each of 77 MWe installed capacity (a total of 462 MWe), and will generate 193 permanent job positions at the plant, 1,500 job positions in construction and 2,300 job positions in the manufacturing sector. It will also allow Romania to prevent the release of 4 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
.KGHM, together with NuScale, intends to deploy SMR technology in Poland this decade. The first power plant will provide clean energy to the KGHM’s production facilities. In this regard, KGHM has already applied to the National Atomic Energy Agency to evaluate the technology and prepare a location study. To achieve this, preparations are underway to establish an SMR Control Room Simulator (Education Center – E2 Center) in Poland for training nuclear operators and specialists.
