Engineering Services Contract for the first nuclear power plant in Poland

Under the contract, in cooperation with Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, Westinghouse and Bechtel will design the first nuclear power plant in Poland. Nearly 2 million man-hours and the support of the industry's top professionals have been envisaged for this goal. The design/engineering documentation includes the main components of the power plant, i.e. the nuclear island, the turbine island and the associated installations and auxiliary equipment, as well as administrative buildings and infrastructure related to the safety of the facility. The primary objective of the conceptual design/engineering is to define the requirements and design/engineering criteria, and specify norms and standards in accordance with which the Polish nuclear project will be executed. The engineering work at this stage will result in more than 400 final deliverables.

A similar AP1000 reactor, which is referential for the Polish project, is already in operation in the United States. Six units of this type operate around the world and more such units are being built in China. The Polish nuclear power plant will be based on the latest experience of Westinghouse and Bechtel, resulting in particular from the construction of Vogtle Unit 4, which introduced improvements over the previously commissioned Unit 3. Experienced employees executing the project in the U.S. will also be involved in the activities for the planned power plant in Pomerania. The engineering services will focus on bringing the design in line with technical and regulatory requirements in Europe and Poland.

‘One week ago, Westinghouse and Bechtel, leaders of the American civil nuclear power sector, formed a consortium to design and build the first nuclear power plant under the Polish Nuclear Power Program. Two days later, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe received a decision on environmental conditions for this project in Pomerania. Today we witness signing a contract for the plant design and engineering. Consistent and timely implementation of the schedules assumed, but also the scope of the contract being executed today, confirm our determination to build the first nuclear power plant within the target timeframe, in line with the budget, and with the optimum utilization of the Polish industry. Westinghouse and Bechtel are completing a sister project known as Plant Vogtle in the American state of Georgia. Their combined experience, lessons learned from the Vogtle project, optimizations implemented on this basis, and the world's most advanced technological and engineering know-how of Westinghouse and Bechtel are now being employed to fundamentally rebuild the Polish energy mix, provide a strong impulse to strengthen the Polish economy and train Polish technicians and engineers. The establishment of a nuclear culture in Poland means new opportunities for the whole country, we want to introduce the best models,’ said Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure.

‘This is one of the most significant steps forward to date in U.S.-Polish civil nuclear cooperation. I commend the Polish government and the companies involved in the project for their focus in seeing this effort through to this critical point. This is not just a commercial venture - our hope is to support Poland as it becomes a hub for civil nuclear technology deployment. Energy security is national security, and America’s security is interdependent with Poland’s security.’ said  Mark Brzezinski, Ambassador of the United States to Poland.

The provisions of the contract regulate cooperation during the processes of obtaining further permits, including the development of technical specifications for the preliminary design of the planned nuclear power plant in Pomerania reflecting the elements of the installation used, so that it complies with the required performance parameters. It will also be the basis for another contract covering the next phase of construction of the first nuclear power plant in Poland.

The contract also involves supporting the investment process and bringing it in line with current legal regulations in cooperation with the National Atomic Energy Agency and the Office of Technical Inspection. The developed results will be the basis for the preparation of documentation for the purpose of obtaining a construction permit for the power plant, so as to further execute the nuclear power plant project in Pomerania based on the highest Polish and European safety standards and norms. In addition, the contract provides for an evaluation of the proposed radiological protection solutions and safety analyses planned in accordance with the requirements of the Atomic Law.

“We are entering a watershed moment not only for our investment project, but also for the entire energy transition process in Poland. Today's event concludes the planning stage of the nuclear power plant and commences the execution phase with relevant engineering work. In about 1.5 years, the signed contract will result in the design/engineering documentation of the first nuclear power plant to be built in Pomerania. This moment is the culmination of very intensive work by many people from the Polish and U.S. government administrations, as well as employees of PEJ, Westinghouse and Bechtel, for which I would like to thank everyone,” said Mateusz Berger, President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe.

As part of the 18-month contract, joint activities with a consortium of Westinghouse and Bechtel are planned to be continued to involve the Polish industry (so-called local content) around the government project. Taking into account the needs and capabilities of Polish contractors, the activities are intended to allow designing supply chains for the nuclear power plant in a way that maximizes the local content participation, including contractors from Pomerania, while guaranteeing efficient and safe execution of the investment project.

The contract also provides for the Polish employees’ trips to the U.S., where they will be able to improve their key competencies in the design/engineering and safe operation of the latest generation reactors. In this way, the selected engineers will also be involved in executing the end results stipulated in the contract. In addition, they will gain the necessary experience coming directly from working with both Westinghouse and Bechtel. It is particularly important from the perspective of both the investor and the government.

‘This is a transformational moment for Poland, for our partners, and for Westinghouse,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO. “The breadth of the work we are performing here, as we create the foundations of a nuclear energy program where none existed before, will be a model for other countries that seek decarbonization and energy security through safe, reliable nuclear energy. Poland is to be commended for showing the way forward.’

‘Poland’s first nuclear power plant is a historic project, vital to the country’s energy security and energy transition goals,” said Craig Albert, President and Chief Operating Officer at Bechtel. “We’re excited to bring Bechtel’s seven decades of global nuclear power expertise to this effort, and we’re proud to partner with PEJ, Westinghouse, and the thousands of local Polish construction workers and suppliers who will join together to make this project a success.’

According to the Polish nuclear Energy programe, the first nuclear reactor will start producing energy in Pomerania in 2033