English Section

South Korea’s KHNP keen to build nuclear power plants in Poland: report

20.10.2021 09:30
South Korea’s state-owned energy company KHNP has said it is set to make an offer to the Polish government to build nuclear power plants in the country, a news agency has reported.
A nuclear power plant operated by the KHNP company in South Korea.
A nuclear power plant operated by the KHNP company in South Korea. Photo: EPA/BARBARA WALTON

The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) company said it was ready to offer Poland "preferential terms" and could start the project in the first quarter of next year, or even earlier, Poland's PAP news agency reported.

The final date for submitting the offer will be decided during talks with the Polish government, KHNP said, according to PAP.

The South Korean company added that its proposal would be competitive in terms of technology, price and project schedule, the Polish state news agency reported.

It cited KHNP as saying it had set up a special team of experts to prepare an "optimal and integrated proposal for a Polish project to build a new nuclear power plant."

The news comes after Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power was earlier this year quoted as saying that it was keen to be part of Poland’s emerging nuclear power programme and saw Poland’s nuclear energy programme as one of its top priorities.

Polish website energetyka24.com in July cited KHNP as saying in a statement that it was planning to offer Poland its flagship "advanced Generation III+ Reactor” technology.

In April, Polish and South Korean government officials discussed bilateral nuclear cooperation, energetyka24.com also reported, citing the South Korean company.

At the time, South Korea officially announced its intention to submit an offer to build a nuclear reactor in Poland, according to the Polish website.

Poland on track to embrace nuclear energy: president

Poland's President Andrzej Duda said this summer that his country was taking "serious steps" to build its first nuclear power plant.

"Today we are taking some very serious steps to build nuclear power plants in Poland in order to protect the environment," President Andrzej Duda declared at the time.

He told state broadcaster TVP in an interview that embracing nuclear energy could help the climate while also ensuring "economic sovereignty and security" for his country.

South Korea, France, US?

Earlier this month, France’s state-controlled utility EDF offered to build up to six nuclear reactors in Poland, with a total installed capacity of up to 9.9 GWe, a business website reported.

In July, US energy firm Westinghouse announced the launch of work under a grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency to progress Poland’s nuclear energy programme.

The announcement came after the Polish government's pointman on strategic energy infrastructure, Piotr Naimski, told the media earlier this year that the US government and businesses were working to come up with a nuclear offer for Poland.

"This offer will be presented to us at the end of the process, and it will be up to our government to consider and possibly accept it," Naimski said.

Poland in October last year signed an intergovernmental deal with the United States to work together in developing nuclear energy.

Poland's first nuclear power plant to start in 2033

The first unit of a new Polish nuclear power plant is expected to be put into operation in 2033, under a long-term energy policy adopted by the government earlier this year.

Then further units are expected to come online every two to three years until a total of six, with a combined capacity of up to 9 GW, are in service, the PAP news agency has reported.

Poland's Naimski said in mid-2019 that nuclear power would account for around 20 percent of Poland’s energy mix by 2045.

(gs)

Source: PAP