Update of the Polish Nuclear Power Program
On 25 June 2025, the Ministry of Industry launched a one-month public consultations on the draft update of the 2020 “Polish Nuclear Power Program” (PPEJ). The update takes into account progress in the implementation of the government nuclear program as well as private initiatives, particularly those based on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, and contains an outlook for 2035. The document is planned to be adopted in Q3 of 2025.
The first nuclear power plant project in Choczewo
The first major nuclear power plant project, consisting of three AP1000 units in Lubiatowo-Kopalino, is gradually progressing. On 28 April 2025, the interim Engineering Development Agreement (EDA) was signed. In July 2025, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) officially notified the Polish nuclear investment project to the European Commission in accordance with the Euroatom Treaty. The opinion of the European Commission is required to obtain a construction licence issued by the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency. Preliminary construction works are due to begin in 2026.
The second nuclear power plant project – location still to be determined
According to the PPEJ, high energy prices are the driving force for the swift commencement of the development of the second nuclear power plant in Poland.
The location of the second plant has not yet been determined, but the shortlist includes four locations where conventional power plants fueled by hard coal and lignite are currently located: Bełchatów, Konin, Kozienice and Połaniec. These locations are the same as those identified in the 2014 and 2020 versions of the PPEJ and therefore carrying out a new strategic environmental impact assessment will not be required. Replacing coal-based plants with nuclear capacity will support the transformation of coal-dependent regions from both economic and social perspectives. Geological works are underway in the two most preferred locations: Konin and Bełchatów.
Potential investors include PGE, Enea and PEJ. The selection of a general contractor and technology provider is scheduled for 2027 and will be done through a competitive process. Construction of the second nuclear power plant will begin in 2032 and the project is expected to launch in 2043.
This project should aim to attract private investment, including business, municipal authorities and state-owned companies operating on market principles. This approach will limit the financial burden on the state budget.
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
Complementary to the government nuclear program, the PPEJ recognises the importance of SMR projects that are being developed by private investors. Principal decisions (Polish: decyzje zasadnicze) have been already granted to OSGE and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Projects for reactors to be located in Ostrołęka, Włocławek, Stawy Monowskie, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Kraków (Nowa Huta) and Tarnobrzeg – Stalowa Wola, KGMH and NuScale Power for reactors to be located in Lubasz and Wieleń, as well as Świętokrzyska Grupa Przemysłowa Industria and Rolls-Royce reactors to be located in the Świętokrzyskie Province.
Poland still lacks legislative solutions tailored for SMR projects, as regulatory requirements do not vary depending on the capacity of the nuclear power plants. The PPEJ only envisages that a roadmap for SMRs in Poland (Polish: Mapa drogowa dla SMR w Polsce) will be published but it contains no details on any legislative changes to support small-scale nuclear projects. The Ministry of Energy announced that the roadmap is expected to be ready this autumn.
Nuclear power to support the heating sector
With the heating sector facing challenges related to energy transition, we welcome the recognition of the potential use of nuclear plants, including SMRs, in the district heating sector. The use of thermal energy to supply district heating networks in urban areas near large-scale nuclear power plants will be evaluated in collaboration with local authorities and district heating providers. In the case of non-governmental projects, decisions whether to support district heating by nuclear technologies will rest solely with the individual investors.
Fuel cycle and nuclear waste storage
A new surface-level radioactive waste storage facility (Polish: Nowe Powierzchniowe Składowisko Opdadów Promieniotwórczych) for storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste is scheduled to open in 2037. This new facility will supplement the National Radioactive Waste Repository (Polish: Krajowe Składowisko Odpadów Promieniotwórczych) in Różan, which has been operating for more than 60 years and has a limited storage capacity. High-level radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel will be stored at the deep geological repository (Polish: Głębokie Składowisko Odpadów Promieniotwórczych) planned to be open in 2070.
Other issues
The PPEJ also highlights the importance of the need to engage domestic industry during construction, operation, and decommissioning stages of nuclear power plants (local content) and to strengthen the financial and staffing capacity of the State Atomic Energy Agency and the Office of Technical Inspection, responsible for nuclear and technical supervision.