Cranberry Township, PA – April 4, 2023 – Westinghouse Electric Company and Bechtel hosted a two-day symposium in Warsaw to highlight AP1000® reactor supplier opportunities for Poland’s new nuclear energy program. Representatives from more than 100 companies representing the civil construction, mechanical and electrical industries attended the event.
Westinghouse President for Poland Miroslaw Kowalik addresses the attendees of the supplier symposium in Warsaw.
The AP1000® reactor program will drive significant opportunities for Polish industry to help launch a new era of clean and secure energy for the nation. Poland’s Vice Minister of Climate Adam Guibourge-Czetwertynski offered opening remarks, along with Daniel Lawton, Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.
“We see the construction of nuclear power plants in Poland as a very complex investment issue that will have very significant implications for domestic industry. The success of such a large-scale project will be ensured only by the greatest possible involvement of domestic companies in all phases of the investment: design, construction and production of individual components for the power plants under construction. The current potential of domestic industry makes it possible to carry out a wide range of work and supplies for the nuclear sector," said Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment in Poland.
“Cooperation on civil nuclear energy is a core part of our bilateral relationship. The future of Europe’s energy security depends on clean, sustainable, and safe nuclear energy - that’s why the United States is committed to serving as Poland’s trusted partner during this critical transition” said the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw Daniel Lawton.
“We appreciate the interest of these companies to advance a clean energy future for Poland,” said David Durham, Energy Systems President for Westinghouse. “We recently began work on this strategically important project and look forward to integrating dozens of Polish suppliers into this project going forward in partnership with the Polish and U.S. governments to provide clean energy security benefits for Poland for 60-plus years to come.”
250 industry representatives attended the two-day supplier event in Warsaw to learn more about opportunities to support deployment of Westinghouse AP1000 reactors.
“We are excited to continue engaging with potential suppliers in Poland in support of Poland’s new nuclear power plants,” said Ahmet Tokpinar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear Power business line. “We look forward to building lasting partnerships with these local suppliers as the project progresses.”
The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In February, Westinghouse and state-owned Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe signed a contract that covers front-end engineering, early procurement work, and program development for the reactors planned for Poland.
In addition to the four AP1000 units currently setting operational performance records in China with four additional reactors under construction and two more planned, one AP1000 reactor has begun operating at the Vogtle site in Georgia while the second Vogtle unit is nearing completion. In addition to those selected for Poland, nine units have been announced for Ukraine, and the technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.