Poland’s first nuclear power plant will safely produce electricity for at least 60 years. Managing the operation of such a facility requires advance preparation. To this end, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe started technical cooperation with the consortium of Finnish companies, Fortum and TVO Nuclear Services, which have experience in managing the first most advanced Generation III+ nuclear unit commissioned in Europe.
Fortum and TVO are world leaders in the nuclear power sector. They are owners and operators of nuclear power plants in Finland and Sweden. Under the two-year agreement signed with the consortium, a strategy will be developed for PEJ to prepare for the role of operator of the nuclear power plant in Pomerania. The measures taken will make it possible to appropriately plan the operational phase of the power plant to ensure full operational readiness in accordance with the approved plan. At the same time, the cooperation will enable adequate preparation of PEJ to act as the operator of the nuclear power plant in Pomerania. The agreement assumes support in terms of addressing the needs of the future operator starting already at the NPP design stage, in the performance of contracts with the consortium of Westinghouse, as the technology vendor, and Bechtel, as the main contractor, as well as cooperation and exchange of experience in the development of a fuel strategy and radioactive waste management strategy.
The consortium of Finnish companies, acting as technical advisors, will also support PEJ in developing a training plan for employees and an action plan covering detailed scopes of tasks executed by the operator. The cooperation with the Fortum and TVO consortium is another step to further build the technical competence of PEJ. The selected advisors guaranteed the support in the form of a team of experts with practical experience in the execution and operation of nuclear power plants and ongoing cooperation with Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, which will include joint teams.
The choice of Fortum and TVO Nuclear Services as the target advisor was determined by these companies’ unique set of competencies and their ability to meet requirements specified by PEJ in the process of screening potential contractors. The consortium of Finnish companies selected in the competitive procedure has demonstrated experience in operating nuclear power plants in Finland and Sweden. Acting as an investor, the two entities also cooperated in the construction of the Olkiluoto 3 unit – to date the only Generation III+ large-scale nuclear unit commissioned in Europe. Moreover, in their role as an operator, they have experience in fulfilling the requirements of the European legal system regulations, including the cooperation with the Euratom Supply Agency for the supply of nuclear fuel. In addition, Fortum is a member of the EUR – European Utility Requirements organization, which PEJ joined in June 2022.
