Westinghouse Electric Company, Bechtel and Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe today signed an agreement defining the principles of the parties' cooperation in the design and construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The agreement sets out a plan for the delivery of the project and confirms the implementation of the next major stage of Poland's flagship nuclear energy initiative.
“Today’s agreement is a demonstration of the bond that brings these three great U.S. and Polish companies together as one team committed to one goal. That goal is to use the world’s best technology to help Poland build a nuclear power plant which will provide, safe, affordable, and clean power for generations to come,” said Mark Brzezinski, United States Ambassador to Poland.
“An American consortium of highly experienced companies in the nuclear industry is being formed today in front of us, with the goal of designing and building the first nuclear power plant in Poland. As an investor, we will actively cooperate with this consortium to consistently achieve successive milestones in the project until the power plant in Pomerania is commissioned,” said Łukasz Młynarkiewicz, acting president of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ).
“The Westinghouse-Bechtel team is a proven one, as demonstrated by successfully powering up the first AP1000 reactor in the U.S. and nearing completion of the second, as well as four AP1000 units already in successful commercial operation globally,” said Patrick Fragman, CEO of Westinghouse. “We will use this experience to help Poland efficiently create a new, cleaner, more secure energy mix.”
“This is an exciting moment for Poland, and we are honored to support their nuclear ambitions,” said Craig Albert, President and Chief Operating Officer at Bechtel. “Bechtel brings over 70 years of experience in the nuclear industry to this partnership. Together with Westinghouse, we look forward to working with PEJ, and Polish construction companies and suppliers to deliver the clean, reliable energy Poland needs.”
The Polish government selected the Westinghouse AP1000® reactor technology for its first-ever nuclear energy program in November. Significant licensing and engineering work is already underway on the project that will deliver reliable, clean and safe power to Poland. The action today lays the foundation for the design activity to start later this year and the construction contract in 2025.
The AP1000® is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the United States at the Vogtle site, one AP1000 unit recently began producing power for the grid while a second unit prepares for initial fuel load. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with six additional reactors under construction. Westinghouse AP1000 technology also has been selected for nine units in Ukraine, and is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
Picture: Seated (from left): Patrick Fragman, CEO, Westinghouse; Łukasz Młynarkiewicz, acting President of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe; Craig Albert, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bechtel. Standing (from left): Mark Brzezinski, U.S. Ambassador to Poland; Anna Moskwa, Poland Minister of Climate and Environment; Mateusz Berger, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure
About Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world’s first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company’s technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
