Poland has extended its nuclear power partnership with a U.S.-led consortium, strengthening its long-term energy cooperation with Westinghouse and local engineering firm Bechtel. The country’s state-owned utility, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), signed an engineering development agreement on April 28, extending its collaboration period from 18 months to 26 months. A final construction contract is expected to follow-potentially benefiting South Korea’s Doosan Enerbility through equipment supply.
The signing ceremony was held in Warsaw and attended by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
Westinghouse noted that this new agreement follows a previous engineering services contract signed in September 2023 to design three AP1000 reactors for a site selected by PEJ. That original 18-month contract expired in late March, prompting both sides to sign a new engineering development agreement to continue the project without delay.
Under the extended collaboration, the three companies will focus on enhancing reactor design over the next nine months. They plan to refine technical specifications, jointly carry out preparatory and geological studies, and improve project governance based on experience from earlier phases. The partners also aim to secure permits and further develop the local nuclear supply chain.
Piotr Naimski, acting president of PEJ, stated, “We are confident that we are steadily moving toward a final construction contract with our U.S. partners.”
Dan Lipman, President of Energy Systems at Westinghouse, said, “This agreement allows us to continue working closely with PEJ and apply our advanced AP1000 nuclear technology to this transformative project. It will not only deliver long-term, stable clean energy to Poland, but also generate billions in investment, boost GDP, and create thousands of jobs.”
Westinghouse was awarded the contract in October 2022 to build a 6-8 GW nuclear plant in northern Poland’s Pomeranian region. The company plans to supply three AP1000 reactors, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026 and the first unit expected to go online in 2033.
A key player in this supply chain is Doosan Enerbility, a major South Korean power equipment manufacturer and engineering firm. Formerly known as Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, the company specializes in supplying large-scale components for nuclear, thermal, and renewable power plants. It is expected to supply major equipment for the Polish project, building on its long-standing partnerships with global nuclear developers.
