Among the companies chosen by Westinghouse are Polimex Mostostal Siedlce, Baltic Operator from the Baltic Industrial Group, Mostostal Kielce, Mostostal Kraków, ZKS Ferrum, Famak, and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia.
According to Westinghouse, the selection process was
conducted transparently and competitively, ensuring adherence to the stringent quality requirements for nuclear reactor equipment.
While this collaboration is part of the
initial preparations for the project in the Lubiatowo-Kopalino area, the selected Polish companies will also have the opportunity to support Westinghouse’s projects
across Europe, including ventures in Bulgaria and Ukraine.
“The entire Polish nuclear program is transformative and has a
significant impact on the entire economy,” said Patrick Fragman. “We are creating not only a tool for electricity and heat production
but an entire branch of industry with scientific and technical support,” he added.
Fragman detailed that Westinghouse, in collaboration with Bechtel, has spent the past two years establishing
supply chains in Poland and carefully selecting and qualifying participating companies. The chosen Polish firms are ready to commence work on individual modules immediately.
Uniquely Polish expertise
Each of the selected companies brings unique expertise to the table. For instance, Polimex Mostostal Siedlce specializes in steel structures, while Baltic Operator produces steel structures and handling equipment for various applications.
Mostostal Kielce focuses on infrastructure construction, and Mostostal Kraków specializes in steel structure production and installation. ZKS Ferrum manufactures welded structures, including tanks and boilers.
Famak produces handling equipment, and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia specializes in manufacturing specialized steel structures, including those for the nuclear sector.
Bechtel-Westinghouse has chosen
Summa Linguae Technologies S.A., specializing in providing translation and localization services, headquartered in Poland, to ensure standardized, effective communication between the Bechtel-Westinghouse consortium and all Polish partners.
The Polish Nuclear Power Program (PPEJ) from 2020 outlines the construction of
two nuclear power plants with a combined capacity of 6-9 GW by 2026.
The first plant in Pomerania is set to commence construction in 2026, with the first block
expected to begin operations in 2033, followed by two additional blocks within the subsequent three years.
The previous government had designated the
Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium as a partner for this endeavor. Approval for the location of the second power plant is anticipated in 2028, with construction slated to begin in 2032. The Ministry of Climate has announced plans to update the PPEJ in 2024.
Economic benefits for Poland
The report published on Tuesday, assesses the domestic direct and indirect economic effects of the project,
which entails building six Westinghouse AP1000 technology reactors in Poland. According to PWC’s calculations, over the first 20 years of construction, production of components, their installation, etc., the direct contribution of the project to Poland's GDP would amount to
PLN 118 billion (almost EUR 28 bln) in 2023 currency. The direct contribution to the national product would be PLN 74 billion.
During these 20 years, approximately 205,000 people would be employed in the project, with 120,000 working directly. Employee salaries would exceed PLN 50 billion, and tax revenues would amount to PLN 51 billion, according to the PWC report.
Additionally, the annual operation of all blocks would contribute
PLN 38 billion to the national product. Employment would reach
16,000 workers, half of whom would be directly involved. Annual salaries would total PLN 6 billion, with tax revenues exceeding PLN 16 billion.
As noted by PWC, utilizing the supply chain built in Poland for Westinghouse projects in other countries would contribute nearly PLN 2 billion to Poland’s GDP for each AP1000 block.
