Beginning preparatory works, continuing geological surveys, negotiating key contracts, and further securing of the financing – these are only some of the activities Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) plan to undertake in the upcoming months. It will be a natural continuation of the intensive work started by the company in 2024, including the first field works, advancing permitting process, securing financing, or designing the nuclear power plant in the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site.
’The past year was a very important period for the nuclear power plant project in Pomerania – it was a time of intensive, not particularly spectacular, and more often meticulous work on many aspects of the investment execution, the results of which are reflected in the current work progress. In the upcoming months, we have a number of tasks ahead of us that will set the framework for the entire investment process for the years to come,’ said Leszek Juchniewicz, President of the Management Board of PEJ.
In 2024, PEJ started, among other works, in-depth geological surveys, for which an area of ca. 40 ha had been previously prepared. Their results are crucial for the ongoing process of the plant design, as they will facilitate the choice of adequate technological and engineering solutions for the plant to stand and operate safely. The first analyses of the samples confirm that the ground conditions at the future power plant site do not hinder its safe operation. Simultaneously, the design process for the nuclear power plant is underway.
The company looks ahead to the preparatory works
In 2024, the company performed geological surveys related to the construction of the water and sewage infrastructure, such as the planned new sewage treatment plant, and the provision of electricity to the future construction site.
At the end of last year, PEJ prepared to launch the air quality monitoring and surveyed an area of ca. 300 ha for possible unexploded ordnance. Meanwhile, in January 2025, PEJ conducted soil surveys to determine the contamination level prior to the start of preparatory works (the so-called monitoring of “zero state”). PEJ also prepared for the soil condition monitoring, which will start along with the development works. Maintenance work on the existing drainage network was also carried out.
Furthermore, we have developed detailed plans for mitigation measures for environmental impacts in the region of the nuclear power plant site. These included the installation of bird and bat boxes and the relocation of protected plant species. These activities are related to the preparatory works planned to commence this year, for which the company applied in August 2024.
PEJ also signed an agreement for the construction of the technical road from the MOLF to the construction site, which will facilitate the use of sea transport for some of the power plant’s components. As previously announced by the company, the road from Słajszewo to the seaside remains open to residents and tourists visiting the region.
Negotiations of the investment contract and the issue of financing
Site works are only a part of PEJ’s ongoing activities. The company is also discussing next stages of cooperation with the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium. Firstly, the conclusion of the EDA (Engineering Development Agreement), which will enable the project to maintain work continuity and already implement some of the tasks originally planned for later. At the same time, PEJ is in talks with the Consortium on the investment agreement (the EPC – Engineering Procurement Construction).
Talks are held on obtaining the financing for the investment project. Based on the letters of intent received so far, among other, from the US, Canadian and French institutions, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe have collected declarations of financial commitment for a total equivalent of more than PLN 95 billion. In turn, the Polish Government has secured PLN 60 billion for the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant. On 20 February 2025, with 430 votes in favor and one against, and no abstentions, the Polish Parliament adopted a law on the capital injection for PEJ in the years 2025-2030 in the amount mentioned above.
Following the Polish government’s notification of the support mechanism for the investment project, an extended procedure was initiated by the European Commission in December 2024 to approve state aid for the project. It is a standard procedure for huge projects like this, in which the EC evaluates the compliance of the support with the internal market and the impact of the investment on the EU energy market. Once the EC approves of the state aid, PEJ will be able to obtain the capital injection to implement the next stages of the project.
2025 is crucial for the construction start date
Preparatory works are expected to begin this year, as planned. The Company’s planned activities include securing the site for future construction and surveying. One of the necessary actions at the site of the future power plant will be the removal of vegetation. These activities have been planned in accordance with the conditions set forth in the decision on environmental conditions for the nuclear power plant. Geological surveys will continue onshore and, in the longer term, offshore in the area of the power plant’s cooling system.
At the same time, PEJ will continue to work on the documentation for subsequent administrative permits and licenses, including the construction license issued by the President of the PAA (National Atomic Energy Agency). It is expected that the construction itself, meaning pouring the first nuclear concrete at the “Lubiatowo-Kopalino” site will start in 2028.
