Poland picks US firm to build 1st nuclear power station: PM

Poland picks US firm to build 1st nuclear power station: PM

"We confirm our nuclear energy project will use the reliable, safe technology of @WECNuclear," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter
"We confirm our nuclear energy project will use the reliable, safe technology of @WECNuclear," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter. Photo: Ludovic MARIN / AFP/File
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Poland on Friday picked US firm Westinghouse to build its first nuclear power station, as the country bids to shore up its energy security at a time of soaring tensions with Russia over Ukraine.

Westinghouse beat rival bids from France's EDF and South Korea's KHNP for the multi-billion dollar (euro) deal, although Poland has held out the possibility of other nuclear tenders in the future.

"We confirm our nuclear energy project will use the reliable, safe technology of @WECNuclear," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.

Morawiecki said the decision would be formally adopted at a cabinet meeting in Warsaw on Wednesday.

US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hailed Poland's announcement, tweeting: "This is a huge step in strengthening our relationship with Poland for future generations to come.

Read also

Germany reviewing possible Chinese takeover of chip factory

"I think it sends a clear message to Russia that the Atlantic alliance stands together to diversify our energy supply... and to resist Russian weaponisation of energy," she said in a video.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

Granholm said Poland had picked Westinghouse "for the first part of their $40bn nuclear project", without specifying the amount of the investment.

A senior US government official speaking on condition of anonymity said only that the deal was valued in the "billions" and would create "thousands of good-paying jobs".

"This is a huge deal because this is not just about a commercial energy project, it's about the way we will define what I would call interdependent security for decades to come," the official said.

Online by 2033

The decision "sends an unmistakable message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin about the strength and the meshing together of the US-Poland alliance," the official added.

Read also

Israel, Lebanon expected to sign 'historic' maritime border deal

And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a tweet he was "very pleased" about the deal to "help produce safe, clean, and reliable nuclear power".

"The United States is proud to be Poland’s strong partner for energy and security," Blinken tweeted.

Poland has been planning a civil nuclear energy capacity for years, but the issue of energy security has taken on added urgency because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Denmark, Norway and Poland last month unveiled a new pipeline that will carry Norwegian gas to Poland via Denmark after Russia cut off Warsaw's supplies.

The Polish government has said it wants its first nuclear power station to go online in 2033.

It has selected the village of Choczewo near the Baltic coast as the site for the plant.

The first plant is planned to have three reactors and the government has said it expects to select a supplier to build three more reactors in the future.

Read also

US urges 'forceful' Myanmar stance as Southeast Asia ministers meet

"The second set (of 3 reactors) will be coming down the road at a date to be determined subject to a decision by the government of Poland and we anticipate that to be Westinghouse as well," the US official said.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.