Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe company submits an application for a decision-in-principle for the first Polish nuclear power plant

On 13 April 2023, the PEJ company has submitted an application to the Ministry of Climate for a decision-in-principle for the first Polish nuclear power plant, to be built in the Pomeranian region. The application was submitted on the earliest possible date, once the amended special nuclear act legislating the development and execution of the project for nuclear power facilities and associated infrastructure, came into force. The decision-in-principle will formally confirm that the investment in Poland's first nuclear power plant is in line with the public interest and the policies pursued by the state, including energy policy. The decision will also empower the investor, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, to apply for a number of further administrative decisions, including a location decision and later a construction permit.

‘The implementation of the Polish Nuclear Power Program is one of the greatest challenges Poland has faced in recent decades, both in terms of complexity and the competencies it demands. The submission of an application for the decision-in-principle for the construction of the first nuclear power plant marks an important stage showing the maturity of the project implemented in Pomerania,’ said Mateusz Berger, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure.

The submitted application includes a description of project characteristics, indicating the maximum total installed capacity, the planned lifetime and detailing the technology to be used in the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The description provided is in line with government documents, including the resolution of the Council of Ministers of 2 November 2022, recognising the need to build a nuclear power plant with a capacity of up to 3750 MWe in the area of the communes of Choczewo or Gniewino and Krokowa and based on US AP1000 reactor technology. An important element of the application for the decision-in-principle is the justification of the importance of the implementation of this project for securing the electricity demand in Poland. The rationale also emphasizes the compatibility of PEJ's project with strategic government documents, including Poland's Energy Policy until 2040 and the European Union's climate policy.

‘The application for the decision-in-principle filed today represents another important step by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe towards obtaining all the necessary administrative approvals to begin construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. We are submitting it on the earliest date possible, as we are keen to significantly accelerate the pace of implementation of this key project for our country. We are also aware of the significance of this project and the importance of the further stages before us, which we will implement according to the approved schedule,’ said Łukasz Młynarkiewicz, acting President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ).

The nuclear power plant in Pomerania is one of two plants planned for construction under the current Polish Nuclear Power Program (PNPP). The construction of the nuclear power plant addresses the need to increase the available disposable capacity in the National Power System, as indicated by the operator of the National Power System - Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A. in its Development Plan for meeting current and future electricity demand for 2023-2032, which will directly translate into power supply reliability and increase the country's energy security.