The Poland Generic Design Agreement was signed during a ceremony on Tuesday at the US Department of Energy in Washington DC. Participants included US Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly, Poland’s Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka, Poland’s Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure and Deputy of Minister of Energy Wojciech Wrochna, as well as representatives from GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH), Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) and Synthos Green Energy (SGE).
Following the signing of the contract, OSGE will invest in the development of a detailed BWRX-300 design that will serve as a reference design for SMR projects in Poland.
Poland’s Ministry of Energy said the agreement guarantees “faster investment preparation, lower costs, and the integration of Polish industry into the supply chain”, adding that the agreement “constitutes a formal step towards building a Polish fleet of SMR reactors”. It said: “The so-called generic design will be a common, standard documentation for all future power plants of this type in the country. This will eliminate the need to create complete documentation from scratch for subsequent investments, and changes will be limited to elements specific to a given location.”
“Poland has the potential to become a European leader in small modular reactor (SMR) technology,” said Polish Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka. “A further decisive step toward that objective has just been taken. To ensure a stable, zero-emission power system and predictable market conditions for industry, we are advancing in parallel both large-scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactor technology. SMRs provide critical baseload support for energy-intensive industries, contribute to price stability for end-users, and represent a powerful growth stimulus for the Polish nuclear supply chain. In the context of steadily increasing electricity demand, the deployment of both technologies is essential.”
“This is a decision of strategic importance for Poland’s energy transition,” Polish Secretary of State at the Ministry of Energy Wojciech Wrochna said. “The generic design constitutes the cornerstone for building a standardised reactor fleet under a repeatable deployment model. Standardisation translates into lower unit capital expenditures and enhanced cost competitiveness. It also creates a significant opportunity to strengthen domestic industrial capabilities and to secure meaningful participation of Polish companies in the execution of advanced nuclear technology projects.”
“This investment by OSGE is a gamechanger for the future of nuclear energy in Poland,” said GVH CEO Jason Cooper. “Advancing the generic design of the BWRX-300 to accelerate its deployment in Poland is another example of what can be achieved with shared vision and investment.”
Rafał Kasprów, CEO of OSGE, added: “The agreement concluded today provides for the design of a nuclear power plant in accordance with Polish regulations. It will be applicable to the deployment of a fleet of BWRX-300 reactors across multiple locations in Poland. This project approach, which forms a core element of OSGE’s strategy, will enable significant cost reductions through design standardisation and the development of a robust supply chain. As a result, it will lower the cost of electricity for the Polish power system and, ultimately, for end consumers.”
In December 2021 GE Hitachi, BWXT Canada and SGE – part of the Synthos Group – signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate in deploying BWRX-300 SMRs in Poland. OSGE – a joint venture between chemical producers SGE and PKN Orlen – plans to deploy a fleet of 24 BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. It has begun development at three separate sites and aims to complete the first unit, in Włocławek, by 2032.
The Ministry of Energy said it is finalising work on a roadmap for SMRs, which is intended to streamline the investment process and identify good practices for potential investors.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEVH’s US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. GVH’s first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by the end of the decade.
