Poland plans 24 small nuclear reactors to cut down on fossil fuels

Poland’s government has approved the construction of 24 small modular reactors (SMRs) in six locations across the country as part of efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels, according to an announcement made at the Net Zero Nuclear Summit, held as part of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

Poland aims to accelerate its coal phaseout and intends to build renewable and nuclear power infrastructure in order to combat climate change and ensure stable electricity supplies, the government said. However, the country intends to keep mining coal until 2049.

Poland’s small modular rectors should be completed by 2030

Poland’s first SMRs will be built by Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE), a joint venture between oil refiner and fuel retailer Orlen and chemicals producer Synthos. The reactors are planned to be deployed by 2030, according to news agencies.

“The Polish government decided to issue a decision in principle and approved six locations together for 24 state-of-the-art GE Hitachi BWRX-300 units in Poland,” OSGE CEO Rafal Kasprów said at the Net Zero Nuclear Summit, the agencies reported.

The Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment has said the selected sites for the small modular reactors are Włocławek and Stalowa Wola (central Poland), Stawy Monowskie, Nowa Huta, and Dąbrowa Górnicza (southern Poland), and Ostrołęka (northern Poland).

Poland also plans to build three nuclear power plants by 2040

Poland has no nuclear capacities, but it announced plans last year to build three nuclear power plants by 2040, with a total capacity of 9 GW. The first one, on the Baltic coast, would be built by United States-based Westinghouse, while South Korean state-owned company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has signed a letter of intent to work on another one.