South Korea joins Poland’s nuclear race with offer of six reactors

South Korea has become the latest to throw its hat into the ring as Poland’s government seeks an international partner in the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plants. France and the United States have also expressed interest.

State-owned energy company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has put forward a bid to build six APR1400 nuclear reactors with a total installed capacity of 8.4 GW.

In a press statement, the company said that it believed its technology fulfilled the requirements set out by Poland’s government, including the deadlines in its nuclear programme (PPEJ) and energy strategy to 2040 (PEP 2040). KHNP is expected to outline a comprehensive offer by the first quarter of next year, reports the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

As part of its efforts to wean the country off its reliance on coal, Poland’s government has outlined plans to develop nuclear energy, with the first reactor intended to go online by 2033 and five more to follow by 2043. The government will need to make a final call on international partners by the end of next year.

The other frontrunners for the nuclear project are the United States and France. Poland is expecting an American offer next year and has already signed an intergovernmental agreement with the country.

In September, former US ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher, who left Warsaw in January, was appointed to the board of American nuclear technology company IP3, with responsibility for its projects in Poland.

Last week, France also put forward an offer for between four and six reactors with a total capacity from 6.6 to 9.9 GW. In July, France’s state-owned electric utility, EDF, opened an office in Warsaw to accelerate work on potential nuclear cooperation.

The Polish government will also now need to choose a location for its first units. The most likely are Lubiatowo-Kopalino and Żarnowiec, where construction on a nuclear power plant began under communism in the 1980s but was never completed.

Poland currently relies on coal for around 70% of electricity production, the highest level in the EU. Current plans see that share falling to under 60% by 2030, and potentially as low as 11% by 2040. While some of the drop will be made up for with renewables, a significant proportion is planned to come from nuclear.

Some Polish businesses, especially in high-emitting sectors, have also been eyeing nuclear for cleaner energy that is less intermittent than renewables such as wind and solar.

A number of Poland’s largest companies, including Orlen, KGHM, ZE PAK and Synthos, have recently signed deals for investments in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear technology.

Public opinion, however, remains sceptical of nuclear power. Recent polling has found that a larger proportion of Polish society are opposed to the development of nuclear than are in favour.

Main image credit: PxFuel

Maria Wilczek

Maria Wilczek is deputy editor of Notes from Poland. She is a regular writer for The Times, The Economist and Al Jazeera English, and has also featured in Foreign Policy, Politico Europe, The Spectator and Gazeta Wyborcza.