"Japanese nuclear business" set to enter Poland

According to the Ministry of Industry, the memorandum confirms both countries’ interest in developing nuclear energy and encourages collaboration at the corporate and technological levels.

"The memorandum aims to introduce Japanese nuclear businesses to Poland to help build our nuclear capacity," Minister Czarnecka explained on Thursday.

The ministry’s statement noted that the memorandum "is a confirmation of the bilateral commitment to advancing nuclear energy as a technology that supports energy transition goals and enhances energy security."

The agreement also encourages cooperation among business entities and in industrial technologies. The Ministry emphasized that "leading Japanese nuclear sector companies have shown interest in developing partnerships with European firms."

One element of the Polish-Japanese collaboration in nuclear energy is cooperation with the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum International Cooperation Centre (JAIF ICC - JICC), which operates under Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

According to the Ministry, JICC supports nuclear-capacity building in countries introducing nuclear energy by facilitating information exchange, expert missions, workshops, conferences, and seminars in areas like human resource development, public communication, nuclear safety, and infrastructure preparation for nuclear projects.

"This cooperation enables Poland to build skills and nuclear competencies, which is crucial for implementing the Polish Nuclear Power Program (PPEJ)," the Ministry of Industry stated.

The current version of the Polish Nuclear Power Program (PPEJ) from 2020 envisions the construction of two nuclear power plants with a combined capacity of 6-9 GW. The state-owned company, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), would serve as the investor and operator. The previous government designated the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium as a partner for the first plant, to be located in Lubiatowo-Kopalino in the Pomerania region. The Ministry of Climate has announced plans to update the PPEJ later this year, which will include the construction of SMRs (small modular reactors) in Poland.

As stated by the former government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure, the first concrete pour for the initial reactor in Lubiatowo is expected in 2028. According to the contractor’s assurances, the project will take seven years to complete from that point.

On Wednesday, Ministry of Industry spokesperson Tomasz Głogowski clarified that the Polish-Japanese memorandum on nuclear energy cooperation "does not constitute agreements for the construction of a second nuclear power plant," despite some media reports.

Under this year’s amendment to the Act on Government Administration, on July 1 the Ministry of Industry took over responsibilities for gas, nuclear, and oil sectors from the Ministry of Climate, along with associated staff. Additionally, on November 1, the office of the government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure was transferred to the Ministry of Industry, which, under current legislation, also mandates that the plenipotentiary serve as one of the Deputy Ministers.