Poland's government is considering the inclusion of France's Électricité de France (EDF) as a potential participant in the second phase of its nuclear power programme, Bloomberg has reported.
The consideration follows the initial selection of US companies for the construction of the country's first nuclear reactors.
Deputy Climate Minister Milosz Motyka was quoted by Bloomberg as saying: “The decision on the next plant and its location, which has to be taken by 2028, is still an open question and the French are very interested in this project.”
In 2022, the country selected a proposal from Westinghouse Electric and Bechtel Group for the construction of three nuclear reactors.
In September 2023, Westinghouse Electric and Bechtel Group established a partnership to design and build a nuclear power facility.
In the same month, Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe also entered an engineering services agreement with the Westinghouse Electric and Bechtel consortium.
The contract's scope included finalising design specifics for Westinghouse's AP1000 nuclear reactors, turbines for power generation and additional plant infrastructure.
The potential shift towards the French in the subsequent stages coincides with the arrival of Poland's new administration under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which aims to mend ties with EU allies.
Motyka also said: “The first project should be implemented with the American side, as agreed. However, when it comes to subsequent projects from the programme, including the second location, the matter is open.”
French nuclear technology is already operational in European countries including Finland and the UK, as stated by Deputy Climate Minister Milosz Motyka.
Prime Minister Tusk recently discussed nuclear energy matters with French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Paris.
The nuclear initiative is part of Poland's broader strategy to transition away from coal-powered plants and align with the EU's climate objectives. The first nuclear project, with a capacity of 3.75GW, was initially set to be operational by 2033. However, Motyka has expressed concerns about meeting that target.
