Poland Begins Ordering Key Components for First Nuclear Power Plant
Poland is entering a new phase in the implementation of its first nuclear power plant project. State-owned company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) has tasked American Westinghouse with preparing the procurement of six key components for the first power unit, including the reactor structures and its containment vessel. Work begins before the signing of the main construction contract for the plant.
This was announced by PEJ President Marek Wościk in an interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
According to him, this concerns equipment with a long production cycle - Long Lead Items (LLI). Such components must be ordered in advance, as their production requires specialized enterprises, complex technological processes, and lengthy quality control.
The new order covers six key components of the first AP1000 reactor at the future Lubiatowo-Kopalino nuclear power plant. Among them are the reactor containment vessel, large structural modules of the reactor building, elements of safety systems, and auxiliary structures.
In particular, the purchase includes modules with steam generator compartments and the nuclear fuel transfer channel, structures of the water reserve tank for safety systems, and elements of the auxiliary building.
Some of these structures will be manufactured at specialized enterprises, after which they will be transported to the construction site for final assembly and installation.
At the current stage, Westinghouse is to prepare technical documentation, quality control plans, and organize the procurement of materials. The actual production and supply of equipment will be formalized after the conclusion of the main EPC construction contract.
The first preparatory orders are planned to be placed in October 2026.
Wościk explained that there are few manufacturers of such components in the world. In particular, for the production of the reactor containment vessel Westinghouse is considering suppliers from Asia. At the same time, Polish enterprises that pass the necessary qualifications could potentially be involved in the production of other structures.
PEJ is not disclosing the cost of the new order at this time. According to the company's head, announcing prices at this stage could affect negotiations with potential suppliers.
The main contract for the construction of the first Polish nuclear power plant has not yet been signed. Negotiations are ongoing between PEJ and the American consortium Westinghouse-Bechtel.
In September, the parties agreed on the main commercial and legal terms of the future EPC contract, including principles of responsibility and risk allocation. Now they are working on the details of the agreement and its appendices. Negotiations are expected to be concluded by the end of 2026.
To avoid delaying the project, PEJ is already performing some preparatory work under a separate engineering agreement EDA. Previously, the company tasked Bechtel with organizing the procurement of turbines and auxiliary equipment, as well as preparation for the construction of a workshop for assembling reactor modules.
According to Wościk, by the end of October the investor also plans to apply for a permit to conduct initial construction work. This could begin in 2027. A full permit for the construction of the nuclear part of the plant is still planned to be obtained in 2028.
The first Polish nuclear power plant is being built on the Baltic Sea coast in the locality of Lubiatowo-Kopalino in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The project involves the installation of three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors with a total electrical capacity of about 3750 MW.
The investor is the state-owned company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. American Westinghouse is responsible for reactor technology, and Bechtel is participating in design and construction.
In July 2026, Polish authorities issued a permit for the second stage of site preparation. It includes leveling the area, creating temporary infrastructure, and preparing technical structures necessary for future construction.
The project implementation is to become one of the key directions of restructuring the Polish energy sector. Warsaw expects that nuclear generation will ensure stable electricity production and help reduce dependence on coal-fired power plants.
Source: Rzeczpospolita, Westinghouse, Ministry of Energy of Poland
