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Facts and myths about the power plant in Pomerania

The implementation of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme, involving the construction of nuclear power plants with a total capacity of up to 9 GWe, represents one of Poland’s largest investments in the 21st century. This investment is necessary due to the need to move away from fossil fuels out of concern for the climate and the environment, as well as due to rising electricity prices. Clean, almost emission-free nuclear power, operating as a baseload power source, can provide a stable, efficient, and environmentally friendly source of electricity and be an answer to the challenges related to the energy security of Polish businesses and households. According to estimates by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE), depending on the chosen technology, the installed capacity of the 6 planned reactors would translate into annual electricity production of 53-80 TWh, which corresponds to 31-46 percent of the country’s current annual electricity demand and 26-38 percent of the demand projected for 2043.

Such a huge investment as the construction of a nuclear power plant in Poland, covering many aspects concerning the natural environment, the technological process itself, construction planning, safety, and the impact on the local community, arouses significant interest and emotions, especially in the site region. Various kinds of rumors, unverified, imprecise, or even false information, and sometimes manipulation, tend to arise around any major investment.
Therefore, on this page, dedicated to the construction of the nuclear power plant in Pomerania and other aspects related to nuclear energy, we not only verify these myths but also present reliable and verified information about the investment, whose preferred site, Lubiatowo-Kopalino, is located in the Choczewo municipality.

Could a disaster like Fukushima happen in Pomerania?

Poland’s geological and seismic stability, the relatively shallow depth of the Baltic Sea, and the use of the state-of-the-art, proven, and safe Generation III+ AP1000 reactor technology mean that the probability of an event like Fukushima occurring is close to zero.

The 2011 accident in Fukushima was the result of a tsunami caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (Richter scale), that struck the coast of Japan at that time. In contrast, the Pomerania region, where the first nuclear power plant will be built, is characterized by negligible seismic activity. This means the area is not threatened by earthquakes or the emergence of a similar hazard. It is worth adding that the local contamination in Japan covered an area 90 times smaller than that contaminated by the Chernobyl accident.

Furthermore, reports from organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 1 unequivocally state that there are no documented deaths or health effects even in the towns around Fukushima that were most exposed to radiation.  

 

The safety of the planned nuclear power plant in Pomerania will be ensured by a series of planned solutions. These include, for example, appropriate ground reinforcement, using a retaining wall reinforcing the constructed embankments and dunes, protecting the facility against a potential storm surge.

Furthermore, the technology of the planned AP1000 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) itself, which will operate in the Pomeranian power plant, guarantees maximum safety. These units are equipped with top-class systems, including double containment structures – an inner steel one and an outer one made of reinforced concrete, which serves as protection against the effects of external natural hazards. The design also features passive reactor cooling systems, which operate using natural forces and phenomena (gravity, evaporation and condensation, energy from compressed gases, and natural convection). These systems do not require electrical power, and all processes occur automatically.

Operational experience from nuclear power plants, gathered over decades by global nuclear technology suppliers, including the leader in this field, Westinghouse Electric Company, has led to the development of safeguards that prevent the recurrence of accidents similar to those in Fukushima and Chernobyl. Moreover, technological solutions implemented after Fukushima indicate that modern nuclear power plants are safe installations that produce clean electricity in a proven manner.

Transport of radioactive materials through Łeba is not planned. The preferred solution will be transporting fuel by sea using the dedicated Marine Off-Loading Facility (MOLF). This solution will allow prepared fuel to be delivered directly to the power plant, effectively eliminating its land transport through neighboring towns. Every transport of radioactive materials to its destination for storage, use, or disposal is subject to the highest safety standards. This is ensured by both strict international regulations, which precisely define how and who is responsible for such activity, as well as rules defined in national law.

Transporting radioactive materials via a route other than the standard one is considered only as a last resort, and even if this were to occur, such transport would be reported and appropriately secured. Therefore, it will not be the preferred solution.

Secure containers are used for transporting fresh nuclear fuel, which protect the surroundings from radiation and prevent the release of the transported substances into the environment. Additionally, for the transport of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, the safety standards are even more stringent. Containers with such substances maintain their integrity under extreme conditions, even in the event of being dropped, fire, or collision with a train.

The initial stage of the power plant’s operation involves the temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel (for cooling purposes) in spent fuel pools located near the reactor, whose monitoring system allows for full supervision of storage conditions. Later, it will be transferred to securely sealed dry storage casks. The final disposal site for spent nuclear fuel, classified as high-level radioactive waste, is not the power plant site, but will be a deep geological repository for radioactive waste, which will be built elsewhere in Poland.

National law already clearly defines the conditions such a site must meet. One of these is the presence of a natural geological barrier in the form of suitable rock structures, which will ensure optimal ground isolation. The repository, along with its systems and equipment, will prevent any radioactive substances from escaping into the environment, and it will also be secured against access by unauthorized persons.

The channels used for seawater intake and subsequent discharge are part of the nuclear power plant’s cooling system. At the same time, these are elements completely distinct and separate from the MOLF structure, which is part of the access infrastructure for the power plant being built in Pomerania. The marine structure (MOLF) will be used for unloading large-scale components transported by sea during construction, thereby relieving local roads and rail connections. Construction works for the power plant’s cooling system and the MOLF will be carried out independently of each other.

PEJ is responsible for constructing the pipeline network and obtaining the necessary administrative decisions related to this power plant component. The system comprising the pipeline network will be constructed using the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) method, which involves laying the pipes trenchlessly – beneath the ground surface without the need for surface excavation. In the offshore section, the channels will run beneath the seabed along their entire length, and only the structures forming their ends will emerge above the seabed at precisely chosen locations.

Constructing the pipelines underground using tunneling will minimize the impact of these activities on the surrounding nature, reducing disturbances to the necessary minimum.

Nuclear power plants operate safely in many places around the world, including surroundings that are both tourist attractions and agricultural areas. During the normal operation of a nuclear power plant, neither farmers nor animal breeders running their farms in the region where an operating nuclear power plant is located need to label their products, goods, or agricultural produce in any way. Proximity to a nuclear power plant affects neither the cultivation process nor the breeding process.

Furthermore, farmers cultivating land in the region where the power plant will be built will not be obligated to carry out radiation monitoring or test samples of products and crops. Radiation monitoring of the power plant site area and its vicinity will be the responsibility of both the investor – the operator of the nuclear facility – and the national nuclear regulator, the National Atomic Energy Agency (Państwowa Agencja Atomistyki – PAA). Currently, the National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA), which is responsible for, among other things, the country’s radiation safety, already conducts continuous national monitoring indicating the current level of ionizing radiation in Poland. Radiation monitoring of the Świerk nuclear center near Warsaw is also conducted.

The region where Poland’s first nuclear power plant will operate will be subject to continuous, additional monitoring conducted by both the National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) and the nuclear power plant operator. Round-the-clock monitoring will be carried out both on the power plant site (including inside buildings and at ventilation stack outlets) and off-site – on a regional and national scale. The obligation for regular testing, based on collected samples of products and crops from the nuclear facility’s location region, rests with the nuclear power plant operator and is carried out at their expense.

No area around the power plant is planned to be under quarantine during normal operational states, i.e., the so-called Area of Limited Use (OOU). According to the amended provisions of the Atomic Law Act – the designated Area of Limited Use “should be adequate to the actual needs arising from the operation of the given nuclear facility and not result in the introduction of unjustified restrictions on land use for the local population or business entities”.

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, after conducting detailed analyses, does not anticipate designating the aforementioned area (OOU) for this investment. However, the final decision on this matter will be made by the relevant Voivode.

Studies and analyses conducted by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, along with subsequent supplements, have shown that the safeguards used in the modern Generation III+ AP1000 nuclear reactor effectively minimize the probability of an accident occurring that would necessitate the introduction of an Area of Limited Use.

Studies by UNSCEAR – the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation – do not confirm this hypothesis. The UNSCEAR Scientific Committee conducted multi-year studies on the effects of the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant, which resulted from the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The conclusions were included in a report issued in 2020, which states that no adverse health effects have been documented among Fukushima residents that could be directly attributed to radiation exposure resulting from the accident.

This report supplements the earlier UNSCEAR report from 2013, which already showed that there were no grounds to assume that a significant change in the incidence of cancer or hereditary diseases caused by ionizing radiation released as a result of the events in Fukushima would occur in the future.

Over the past decade, much new data regarding radiation exposure estimates has emerged. This enabled the Scientific Committee to more accurately assess the radiation levels and effects resulting from the accident. Improved models, based on additional monitoring data and more comprehensive information regarding diet and human behavior in Japan, led to a re-review and update of dose estimates by the Committee. The updated dose estimates for the general public either remained at a similar level or even decreased compared to the Scientific Committee’s earlier (2013) estimates.

Importantly, the use of Westinghouse AP1000 technology is planned for the first nuclear power plant in Poland, which is a Generation III+ reactor. This is a technologically highly advanced reactor with extensive passive safety systems, which minimize the risk of a severe accident, virtually eliminating the possibility of a situation like the one that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Ionizing radiation is a completely natural phenomenon that we encounter every day. If we were to use a dosimeter, a device showing the level and dose of radiation, after one year it would show approximately 2.5 mSv*. This is the average dose level from natural background radiation in Poland. Sources of radiation include: the human body, buildings, plants (including bananas containing radioactive potassium), animals, and cosmic radiation, which reaches Earth from space and originates mainly from supernova explosions. We encounter ionizing radiation both when drinking milk and when having an X-ray examination.

During standard operation, every power plant, whether conventional or nuclear, releases small amounts of ionizing radiation into the environment, the level of which is safe for both employees and the communities living around the power plant.

According to data from the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report prepared by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe sp. z o.o., the projected maximum effective dose from the power plant in Pomerania will not exceed 0.0035 mSv annually. The permissible limit, however, is 0.3 mSv. In practice, this means that a resident spending a year near our nuclear power plant is exposed to a radiation dose similar to that from consuming 35 bananas. The maximum ionizing radiation dose from our nuclear power plant is therefore 100 times lower than the limits permissible under Polish law and approximately 1000 times lower than the dose from natural background radiation. Analyses and studies conducted in connection with the preparation of the EIA report by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe sp. z o.o. even indicate that the actual doses from the nuclear power plant in Pomerania will, however, be significantly lower still.

Continuous monitoring of radiation levels is possible thanks to measuring devices located both on the nuclear power plant site and outside its area. Thanks to such an extensive monitoring system, radiation emissions can be effectively tracked and controlled, which contributes to ensuring the safety of both power plant employees and the population around it. It is worth emphasizing that Poland also has a national radiation monitoring system run by the National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA), which is one of the most modern in Europe. Currently, nearly 60 modern stations for early detection of radioactive contamination are operational. By 2033, there will be at least 145. The future operator of the nuclear power plant will also be obligated to conduct continuous radiation monitoring of the plant and its surroundings.

The National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) has many years of experience in conducting radiation monitoring of operating nuclear facilities. This includes the nuclear research center in Świerk near Warsaw, where the Maria research reactor has been operating since 1974.

*mSv (millisievert) is a unit for physical quantities relating to the effect of ionizing radiation on living organisms.

The construction of a nuclear power plant, like any other investment, entails certain nuisances for residents, such as noise, vibrations, or light pollution. All these elements were thoroughly analyzed in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, which was the basis for the investor obtaining the environmental conditions decision, received by PEJ in September 2023. The report presented a series of solutions aimed at minimizing this impact on the surroundings.

In the context of minimizing noise and vibrations, measures introduced will include, among others:

  • limiting the time for the most disruptive work to daytime hours;
  • using soundproof enclosures and acoustic screens (including mobile screens);
  • minimizing the operation [idling] of combustion engines and vehicles;
  • limiting the speed of construction machinery and passenger cars to 15 km/h and 20 km/h respectively.

Regarding nuisances related to dust – loose materials will be stockpiled only in designated areas; additionally – for particularly light materials, several measures are planned to prevent them from being blown away, such as: watering (especially important in summer), covering stockpiles, or using wind fences. Additionally, one of the organizational and technical measures will also be washing the wheels of heavy goods vehicles leaving the construction site, which limits soil contamination of access roads, subsequently preventing drying and wind dispersal. Furthermore, PM2.5 and PM10 dust levels will be monitored during construction, and in case of exceedances, environmental supervision will be able to take additional actions to limit nuisances and breaches of permissible environmental standards.

During the power plant construction process, intensive lighting will be necessary when performing work at night which cannot be interrupted for technological reasons, such as concreting. Light from the construction site lighting will be visible from nearby towns at a short distance from the construction, however, its intensity will not be a nuisance to residents.

One of the key measures aimed at limiting light emissions is the development of a Lighting Management Plan. The basic principles of such a plan include:

  • designating only essential zones that require constant lighting (including obstruction lighting);
  • using motion/time sensors in communication routes and areas not requiring constant lighting (e.g., parking lots);
  • directing light sources inward towards the construction site to avoid illuminating adjacent areas – with particular attention to the ecological corridor;
  • using fixtures (including adjustable ones) on light sources to focus light on the illuminated object, limiting illumination of the surrounding area;
  • using lighting masts that allow illumination from above at an appropriate angle (e.g., 80-90 degrees), limiting light spill to the work area;
  • preferring cool-colored light sources that do not emit UV radiation to limit attracting insects;
  • turning off lighting when work is not being performed;

Furthermore, one of the tasks of environmental and OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) supervision will be to monitor whether the above principles are adhered to during all work.

These are just some of the measures that the investor and contractors will apply to minimize the impact of construction works on the lives and functioning of residents. Details of the minimization measures can also be found in the environmental conditions decision obtained by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe.

The land-based part of the nuclear power plant will not be located within a Natura 2000 area. According to the environmental decision, the investor is prohibited from carrying out any work related to the power plant construction in this area.

The Project Implementation Area (approx. 688 ha) reserved for activities related to the power plant construction is not synonymous with the area where construction work will actually be carried out and where the nuclear facility will subsequently stand. In reality, the nuclear power plant at the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site will occupy approx. 200 ha, and this area is in no way located on Natura 2000 protected sites.

However, the area reserved for activities related to the power plant construction overlaps only to a small extent with the land area of the Natura 2000 Mierzeja Sarbska site (PLH220018), which was expanded in 2021 due to the presence of sand willow habitats on the dunes. However, no work related to the power plant construction will be carried out there. Especially since the environmental conditions decision for the project implementation, issued by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ) in September 2023, explicitly prohibits the investor from carrying out any work there. Furthermore, the environmental decision prohibits the location of construction support facilities less than 100m from the Natura 2000 Mierzeja Sarbska site (PLH220018) and less than 25m from the shoreline of the Biebrowski Canal.

According to Polish law, spent nuclear fuel cannot be permanently disposed of at the nuclear power plant site.

International practice for managing spent nuclear fuel assumes that spent nuclear fuel is first cooled for several years in special pools located at the nuclear power plant site. It is then transferred to a spent fuel storage facility located on the power plant site. It is worth noting that storage, by definition, is temporary (implying further transport of the waste), whereas disposal is final. Therefore, the waste in the storage facility, including spent nuclear fuel, will be stored until it is transported to a repository. The dry storage facility will take the form of a warehouse providing protection against ionizing radiation. Spent nuclear fuel assemblies are appropriately secured. They are most often stored vertically inside sealed MPCs (multi-purpose canisters) made of stainless steel and filled with an inert gas (e.g., helium). The canisters are cooled externally by natural air circulation. A spent nuclear fuel canister secured in this way poses no direct threat to the surroundings.

Plans for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel involve the construction in Poland of both a new surface repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW), and a deep geological repository for high-level waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel. The “National Plan for Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management” can be found at the link: https://www.gov.pl/web/klimat/krajowy-plan-postepowania-z-odpadami-promieniotworczymi-i-wypalonym-paliwem-jadrowym.

Interestingly, Poland as a country already has experience in managing radioactive waste. In Różan in Mazovia, about 80 km from Warsaw, is Poland’s only National Radioactive Waste Repository, where low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste originating from, among others, industry, medicine, and the Maria research reactor in Świerk near Otwock is disposed of.

It is untrue that the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ nuclear power plant will be located on the beach. A 300-meter wide strip of forest will separate the nuclear power plant from the beach.

In the preferred technical option for the cooling system, TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) deep tunneling machines will be used to bore the pipelines. This solution will minimize the impact of the work on the forest and beach that separate the power plant from the sea.

The forest strip will serve not only as an aesthetic barrier but also as a migration corridor for animals. The forest strip separating the power plant from the beach is visible in the conceptual visualization of Poland’s first nuclear power plant.

Public support for the construction of the nuclear power plant in its immediate vicinity among the residents of the Choczewo municipality, where its construction is planned, remains high at 67%. A similar level of support for the investment (66%) was recorded in the planned investment region, i.e., in the Wejherowo, Puck, and Lębork counties. This is according to a survey conducted by the independent research agency PBS Sp. z o.o. from Sopot in November/December 2023.

Such high support is not surprising, as the power plant’s location region will become one of the most developed in Poland.

Tax revenues are one of the benefits associated with the investment. Besides funds for investment in the region, an undeniable benefit will be economic development, including new jobs. It is predicted that over 8,000 people will be employed during the construction phase. Such a large number of direct jobs will positively impact, among other things, the occupancy of accommodation facilities, which will enjoy demand throughout the year, not just during the summer season. It is estimated that each direct job in the power plant implementation generates an additional 3-5 jobs in services, such as retail, catering, and small services like hairdressing.

Also important for residents is the infrastructure associated with the nuclear power plant, namely new roads and railway lines, which will be a lasting contribution to the region’s development and will shorten travel times to the Tri-City and other towns in the Pomeranian region.

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) conducts intensive activities through which residents can receive reliable and up-to-date information about the largest energy investment undertaken in Poland in recent decades. Three PEJ Local Information Points (LIPs) have been operating for over 10 years in the Choczewo, Gniewino, and Krokowa municipalities. The company also organizes Summer Information Points in Słajszewo and Kopalino, and two working groups dedicated to the nuclear power plant operate continuously in Choczewo and Wejherowo. In 2023 alone, PEJ representatives organized or participated in a total of about 60 different types of meetings with people interested in the investment. In 2023, open information meetings were held in Kopalino, Sasino, Słajszewo, and Choczewo. During the holiday season, experts from Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe can also be met at over 50 different summer events organized in the region.

High support for the power plant exists not only among residents of the host municipalities. This was shown, for example, by a nationwide public opinion poll commissioned by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in November 2023 – according to it, nearly 90% of Poles support the construction of nuclear power plants in Poland. After all, they are a direct response to the need to increase the country’s energy security and meet future electricity demand.

The implementation of the associated infrastructure – meaning the new access road, the railway line to the nuclear power plant, the transmission network, and the marine structure – is the responsibility of designated entities specializing in carrying out such investments nationwide, namely PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP PLK), Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A. (PSE), the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA), and the Maritime Office in Gdynia.

In June 2023, the Council of Ministers adopted the Program for supporting infrastructure investments related to the implementation of key investments in strategic energy infrastructure, including the nuclear power plant, in the Pomeranian 1 Voivodeship. The Program’s implementation is planned for the years 2023-2029 and will be fully financed from the state budget. The amount allocated for this is PLN 4,761,777,307.  

 

Within the Program, the associated infrastructure for the nuclear power plant in Pomerania will be built, namely:

  • a marine structure (MOLF) approx. 1100 m long for unloading materials and equipment components, as well as the technical infrastructure enabling the proper operation of the marine structure, for which the Director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia is responsible,
  • a national road providing access to the power plant from the nearest expressway, for which the General Director of National Roads and Motorways is responsible,
  • railway infrastructure, including railway lines with traction networks, passenger stations, freight terminals, and engineering structures, for which the company PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. has been designated.

In July 2023, the Maritime Office in Gdynia signed a cooperation agreement establishing partnership relations with the investor, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. Under this agreement, the Director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia is responsible for obtaining the necessary consents and then constructing the MOLF marine structure. Work on the design concept is underway, and the next steps are preparing the information card, developing and submitting the application for an environmental decision, preparing the design documentation, submitting the application for a building permit decision, and finally, the construction work. This is expected to be completed by the end of September 2028.

The General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) is working on the concept for the national road that will provide access to the nuclear power plant. Conceptual work is scheduled to last until the end of 2023. 2024 involves variant selection, obtaining the environmental decision, and the construction tender. Work on the construction design will take place in 2025. Obtaining the permit for road investment implementation (ZRID) and the start of construction work are planned for 2026.

The company PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. is carrying out work on the railway infrastructure intended to provide a rail connection to the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ power plant. Work on the program-spatial concept is underway. Development of the construction design is planned for 2024. 2025 involves developing the detailed design and the complete set of applications for building permit decisions.

Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A. (PSE) will be responsible for, among other things, the power evacuation from the nuclear power plant. Within the project, 4 lines and 2 power substations will be built.

The task of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, as the investor responsible for building Poland’s first nuclear power plant, includes coordinating the implementation of the individual associated investments.

Looking at the experiences of other countries, as well as the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there is no direct legal prohibition regarding the siting of a nuclear power plant in areas attractive for tourism or nature. Moreover, international examples show that such facilities are built in tourist regions, and not only do they not have a negative impact, but they can also become tourist attractions and draw visitors to the region.

One example of a nuclear power plant in Europe sited in a location attractive for tourism is the Tihange power plant, located a short distance from the historic town of Huy in Belgium. It is a small, exceptionally charming town, boasting monuments such as medieval Gothic churches, Renaissance townhouses, and a historic 18th-century town hall. The nuclear power plant is located right nearby.

In an analysis commissioned by the Senate of the Republic of Poland in 2009, local authorities were asked, among other things, about the impact of the nuclear power plant’s proximity on tourism in the town of Huy. Among the main conclusions, it was indicated that tourism had not decreased, but quite the contrary. According to the town authorities, the power plant attracted new tourists to the region.

Similar conclusions came from the analysis of responses from respondents in France, the Czech Republic, and Sweden.

Another excellent example of a nuclear power plant operating in a region attractive for tourism is the Spanish Vandellós power plant located in Catalonia, a tourist region known as Costa Dorada, or the Golden Coast. The power plant is located in the Baix Camp county, almost directly on the shore of the Balearic Sea, 5 kilometers from the famous L’Almadrava beach, popular with tourists. This beach holds the ‘Blue Flag’ certificate, awarded after meeting, among other things, strict standards for water quality. Annually, the Spanish Golden Coast is visited by approximately 3.5 million tourists, and the power plant, producing clean and low-emission electricity, does not negatively affect interest in vacationing by the azure sea of the Spanish Golden Coast.

Geological studies and analyses conducted by the investor as part of the selection process for the preferred ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site have shown that a nuclear power plant can be safely sited and operated at this location. Thus, no geological factors excluding the siting of a nuclear facility were identified.

The geological condition assessment identified various types of soil (including sand) present in the subsurface of the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site. For design purposes, detailed soil parameters at the construction site will be determined, which will then be reflected in the selection of appropriate methods for potential ground reinforcement and structural solutions allowing for the safe siting and operation of the nuclear facility.

Studies in various fields of geology (geophysical surveys, seismic surveys, drilling, sounding, laboratory tests, etc.) constituted one of the 32 research areas analyzed within the siting and environmental analyses for the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Siting Report. An unprecedented research campaign, which preceded the selection of the preferred site, allowed for determining, on one hand, how the nuclear power plant will impact the surrounding environment and human health, and on the other hand, how environmental conditions might affect the operation of the power plant itself. The studies, inventories, and monitoring lasted over 4 years; at the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site, they covered approximately 274 km² of the marine area and 98 km² of the land area.

The official name of the investment site preferred by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’. The Polish Nuclear Power Programme (PPEJ), adopted by the Council of Ministers in January 2014, presented 27 potential sites for a nuclear power plant in Poland. Even then, 3 coastal sites were listed (Choczewo, Żarnowiec, and Lubiatowo-Kopalino) allowing for the use of seawater for cooling in an open system. To maintain consistency and compliance with government documents, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is obligated to use these specific names.

Importantly, the names of potential sites are not, and do not have to be, a precise reflection of the place where the facility is planned. The ‘Żarnowiec’ site, where construction of a nuclear power plant began in the 1980s and where the company conducted siting and environmental studies starting in 2017, is also not located in Żarnowiec but in the village of Kartoszyno. However, the name ‘Żarnowiec’ has been functioning in the public sphere for decades. The ‘Choczewo’ site is also not located within Choczewo itself. But it was precisely these site names that were included back in 2010 among the 92 locations proposed by local governments (65 sites) and supplemented (27 sites) by the then Ministry of Economy.

It is also worth noting that in the case of the preferred ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site, the land part of the Project Implementation Area (the area reserved for the nuclear power plant construction) is located within the Choczewo municipality in the geodesic precincts of: Jackowo, Sasino, and to a small extent, Słajszewo (agricultural land, meadows, and pastures).

Information about potential sites is also provided on an ongoing basis by the staff of the company’s Local Information Points (LIPs). Both at the Local Information Points operating in the host municipalities for 10 years, and during various municipal and village events, one can view current maps showing, for example, detailed distances from individual towns to the nuclear power plant or the route variants for roads and railway lines designed as part of the associated infrastructure.

The construction of cooling towers depends on the decision regarding the choice of the power plant’s cooling system. In the implementation variant proposed by the investor, there are no such cooling towers.

As part of the conducted studies, various technical sub-variants related to power plant cooling were analyzed, and the one proposed by the company for implementation is sub-variant 1A at the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site with an open cooling system (using water from the Baltic Sea), which means that if this preferred sub-variant is implemented, there will be no cooling towers. This is the sub-variant that received the highest ratings when considering environmental aspects along with other criteria simultaneously. Such a solution will ensure that the impact on the landscape is minimized. The tallest structures on the project site will then be the approximately 80-meter high reactor buildings, not cooling towers which would be many times taller.

Additionally, a strip of forest will separate the power plant from the beach, serving as both a natural aesthetic barrier and a migration corridor for animals. Various banners or manipulated photos showing cooling towers near the beach or suggesting they would be visible, for example, from Łeba beach are fake news.

Below is an example of a manipulated photo promoted by opponents of the investment.

During the preparatory works stage, as well as the subsequent construction works and the operation of the power plant itself, the participation of Polish companies and Polish workers in the project is anticipated. Importantly, the share of Polish industry in the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant will grow with the construction of subsequent nuclear units and the experience gained by Polish subcontractors.

It is worth emphasizing that although we do not yet have a nuclear power plant in Poland (apart from a research reactor), in the last 10 years, about 80 representatives of domestic industry have been involved in nuclear projects in 25 countries worldwide – from the United States through India to Japan. These included companies such as ZRE Katowice, Famet, APS Energia, Elektrobudowa, Polbau, Warbud, KMW Engineering, Gotech, and Pomeranian companies: Rockfin from Gdańsk and Energomontaż Północ Gdynia. Another 250 Polish enterprises are ready to join this group, providing products and services of the highest quality.

The investor will also strive to ensure that the share of local industry, including companies from the Pomeranian region, is as large as possible. Already at the preparatory works stage – Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe anticipates that entrepreneurs and workers mainly from Pomerania will be employed. Importantly, associated investments for the nuclear power plant construction, such as the access road and railway line, will also be implemented concurrently. The use of local and national suppliers and companies is also planned there.

It should also be remembered that a nuclear power plant consists of two main parts – the nuclear island, where the heat source (the reactor) is located, and the conventional island, i.e., the turbine island generating electricity, which essentially differs little from the turbine islands of coal or gas power plants. In the latter case, the work will therefore not differ significantly from the construction of coal or gas power plants, therefore, Polish electricians, fitters, welders, excavator operators, and professional drivers, for example, will have the opportunity to find employment here.

At the peak of the construction phase, over 8,000 people will be working. Additionally, each direct job in the power plant construction will generate approximately 5 new jobs in retail, small services, and catering.

Furthermore, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe has signed cooperation agreements with key Polish universities, including the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology, and the University of Gdańsk, which form the Fahrenheit Universities (FarU). Together with the investor responsible for building the first power plant in Pomerania, these universities will train Polish personnel for the nuclear industry.

During the implementation of the nuclear power plant construction in Pomerania, the investor will minimize the investment’s impact on forest resources located in the area where the facility itself will be built.

The nuclear power plant at the preferred ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site, using appropriate technical solutions, will be separated from the Baltic Sea coast by a strip of land approximately 300-400 meters wide (the shoreline varies along this section). An approximately 200-meter wide (at its narrowest point) strip of trees separating the power plant will serve as a unique aesthetic barrier screening the plant, and will also constitute an ecological corridor for animals, allowing them to migrate freely.

It should also be emphasized that the permanent deforestation area does not mean an area devoid of vegetation; outside the fence of the future nuclear power plant, shrubs, low vegetation, and selected deciduous trees (species that do not affect fire risk or pose a threat to the power plant) will be planted there.

To properly prepare the site for the power plant construction, the company conducted a series of long-term and comprehensive analyses regarding potential changes in the management and use of forest land. Their purpose was also to determine the “permanent deforestation zone” where the nuclear facility will be built. It is worth adding here that due to the wide availability of forests in the host municipalities, the transformation of forest areas will not constitute a significant impact on forestry, as confirmed by the results of the conducted studies. In the preferred technical variant and sub-variant of the investment, permanent deforestation will amount to approx. 335 ha, of which, after construction completion, this area will be reduced to less than 300 ha as a result of additional plantings.

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe plans to implement a series of measures that will limit the investment’s impact on the lives of residents and the natural environment, including forest areas. Minimizing the project’s impact on the landscape will involve, among other things, the aforementioned restoration of vegetation where possible, and the area subject to necessary felling will itself be limited to a minimum. In the preferred variant and sub-variant, TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) tunneling machines, such as those used in subway construction, will be utilized for building the cooling system channels. Thanks to this, it will be possible to preserve the strip of trees separating the power plant from the beach, and there will be no need to excavate the beaches themselves.

Using such a solution will help maintain the aesthetic values of the site. Additionally, as part of measures minimizing the investment’s impact on the natural environment, planting trees and greenery, as well as securing the continuity of ecological corridors for animals, are planned.

Regardless of the specifics of the nuclear facility’s location, any interference with the terrain is limited to a minimum already at the investment planning stage, while effectively utilizing the available site conditions. This case is no different. Thanks to an individual approach, using proven international experience, the project for the first nuclear power plant in Pomerania will be optimally adapted to the local environmental and social surroundings.

As part of the environmental procedure, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe conducted a research campaign on a scale previously unprecedented in Poland. The studies, analyses, and monitoring lasted over 4 years. Their purpose was to check how the construction of the nuclear power plant in Pomerania would affect the surroundings, including the Natura 2000 areas located in Pomerania. The result of the conducted research campaign is the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report submitted by the company to the General Director for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ) in 2022, which comprehensively assesses the planned activities and answers the question about the power plant construction’s impact on the environment. Regarding Natura 2000 areas, the Report found no significant negative impact on the integrity and coherence of these areas, nor on their protected subjects or conservation objectives.

Detailed analyses confirmed that the nuclear facility in Pomerania can operate safely. Furthermore, thanks to the results of these studies, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe knows how to minimize the investment’s impact on the environment and surroundings and protect the occurring plant and animal species.

The siting and environmental study program was carried out for two site variants: ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ (Choczewo municipality, Wejherowo county) and ‘Żarnowiec’ (Gniewino municipality, Wejherowo county and Krokowa municipality, Puck county). The Project Implementation Area, meaning the area where construction work may be carried out and thus where potential impacts related to the project implementation may occur, for the preferred ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site will occupy a maximum area of approximately 2585 ha. Of this, 688 ha comprises the studied land area, and the remaining 1,897 ha covers the marine area. Importantly, the land and marine area studied by PEJ is much more extensive, amounting to 37,369 ha. This is an area comparable in size to the Mazovian Voivodeship.

The scope of studies and impact assessment on nature conservation forms covered the area within 5 km of the designated Project Implementation Area and 14 km concerning areas included in the Natura 2000 network. In the marine part, the Natura 2000 site ‘Coastal Baltic Waters’ primarily protects bird wintering grounds for species such as the velvet scoter, long-tailed duck, and common scoter. This is one reason why PEJ conducted studies to identify bird concentrations. This allowed for determining their grouping locations and identifying potential food bases. The results confirmed that the infrastructure related to the power plant’s cooling should be located outside stony areas and zoobenthos clusters, i.e., where their food bases are not present.

In the design, and subsequently during the construction of the nuclear power plant, only solutions proven in practice or through reliable experience or simulations are used. The owner of the power plant is obligated to ensure that, even before the facility’s construction begins, its design undergoes a full analysis regarding environmental safety. The same principle applies to environmental and socio-economic aspects.

The preferred ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site ensures a balance between environmental aspects and factors of nuclear safety and socio-economics. The conducted environmental and siting analyses allow for the investment to be implemented in a way that guarantees the safe operation of the nuclear facility and the maintenance of high adopted environmental standards.

The solutions proposed by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe during the project implementation will aim to limit the inconveniences associated with the power plant construction. The implementation of the investment within the planned scope will have a minimal impact on the coastal landscape of areas neighboring the power plant. Near the planned construction site of the nuclear facility are beach entrances No. 46, 47, 48, 49, which, due to work planned at the relevant stage, will be temporarily closed. Importantly for residents and tourists – new beach entrances will be designed during this time. Their location will be determined at later stages of the investment. Temporary restrictions may occur in selected areas, for example, in connection with the construction of the marine off-loading structure. However, these will be short-term in nature.

The aforementioned marine structure for unloading large-scale components (Marine Off-Loading Facility – MOLF) will be founded on piles. Its openwork steel and reinforced concrete structure, resembling an overpass/trestle, will allow the free movement of sediment along the shoreline in the marine part, as well as people and animals on the beach, ensuring the preservation of the site’s ecological continuity. After the power plant construction is completed, however, it could serve both residents and tourists as a pier – the longest in Poland, extending approximately 1.1 kilometers into the sea.

After the facility is built, the beaches in the Choczewo municipality will continue to be attractive and accessible to the entire community and people who come here to relax. The power plant itself will be separated from the beach by a strip of trees approximately 300 meters wide, forming a natural barrier that will separate the power plant from the beach. At every stage of the project, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe will undertake a series of diverse actions to reduce nuisances and the investment’s impact on the environment and society. Thanks to cooperation with experienced international partners, best practices that have been successfully implemented in nuclear projects in Europe and around the world will be utilized.

Among the actions aimed at limiting the investment’s impact on the social environment, adapting the peak intensity of construction work to the ‘low’ tourist season is planned, as well as using the sea route for transporting large-scale components necessary for the power plant’s construction and equipment – instead of road and rail transport.

The construction of railway infrastructure is one of the investment priorities associated with the construction of the nuclear power plant in Pomerania. However, the new and modernized railway lines will be used not only for transporting construction materials or facility components, but, depending on the line route variant, may also be available for regional passenger traffic. Thus, the development of associated infrastructure will benefit the residents of Pomerania and tourists visiting the region.

The railway infrastructure, as part of the investments associated with the nuclear power plant construction, will be developed in stages and in close cooperation with the company PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A., which is responsible for the entire investment process. The planned undertakings will be subject to separate environmental procedures. This means that the implementation of each planned investment will undergo detailed analyses. At the same time, each element will constitute an independent task, for which administrative decisions will be made with public participation.

Two investment variants are being considered in the project, and both are subject to the Program-Spatial Concept currently under development. The basic variant includes modernization of railway line No. 230 on the Wejherowo – Choczewo section along with the construction of new sections, modernization of line No. 229 on the Lębork – Łeba section, construction of a new railway line segment from Choczewo through the nuclear power plant to connect with line No. 229 in the Stęknica station area, and construction of a connecting line towards Łeba. The optional variant assumes modernization of railway line No. 230 on the Wejherowo – Garczegorze section, line No. 229 on the Lębork – Garczegorze section, construction of a new line from Choczewo to the Lubiatowo-Kopalino nuclear power plant, and a connecting line towards Lębork.

Representatives of PKP PLK S.A. are currently participating in a series of meetings with local governments, including in Choczewo, Wicko, Gniewino, and Wejherowo, during which the optimal planning of the railway infrastructure route was discussed. Route design proposals will continue to be discussed with the local community at every stage of the investment.

New infrastructure in the region of the future nuclear power plant’s location signifies a new opening for the economic development of coastal areas. The availability of new railway connections will not only contribute to reducing transport exclusion in this region, but will also translate into the revitalization of local business and the development of local initiatives. Shorter travel times will improve the daily functioning and quality of life for residents, and, importantly, will further stimulate tourism.

Results of studies and analyses described in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report indicate that the predicted sound emission levels during the operational phase for towns located near the power plant at the preferred site (Osetnik, Słajszewo, Biebrowo, and Kopalino) will have a sound intensity level similar to murmurs in an apartment (approx. 40 dB) and simultaneously half that of, for example, street traffic*.

To achieve sound levels permissible under Polish law, the investor plans to apply minimizing measures (design and technical solutions), known as Best Available Techniques (BAT), regarding the limitation of sound emissions, such as appropriate building layout, construction of special acoustic screens, soundproof enclosures, and other barriers limiting sound propagation, which will help further lower its level. According to the results of baseline studies and modeling analyses of the project’s environmental impact, thanks to the application of minimizing solutions, the permissible sound levels specified in Polish law will not be exceeded in any of the aforementioned towns, either during the day or at night.

After construction completion and the start of operation, the investor, in accordance with applicable law, will also conduct a post-implementation analysis, which compares the study results from the environmental impact assessment report with the actual impact on the surroundings after the investment’s implementation.1 Therefore, the values described in the EIA report are binding, meaning that even if the permissible limits were exceeded, the investor would be obligated to implement appropriate corrective measures, and if these are ineffective – to suspend or cease operations until sound levels are brought into compliance with the values required by regulations. Exceeding the strict limits specified in Polish law, besides losses related to the necessity of ceasing operations until appropriate preventive actions are implemented, also exposes the investor to financial penalties related to exceeding the sound levels indicated in applicable regulations. Thus, the field studies and modeling carried out for the EIA report were primarily aimed at protecting human health and the environment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that street traffic is associated with sound emission at an intensity of approx. 80 dB.

The construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant, a project strategic from the perspective of the energy sector and energy supply security, is undoubtedly a major challenge, also in terms of its impact on the surroundings. However, it must be emphasized that the investment has been thoroughly studied from an environmental perspective, and the investor plans a series of measures to minimize the impact on the surroundings. In other words, we know how the investment will affect the environment, and we are able to implement adequate measures to limit this impact to the minimum possible. The proper course of the investment regarding its impact on the environment and surroundings will be overseen by the General Director for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ), who is an independent body ensuring nature protection, and Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, as the investor, will be obliged to comply with its decisions.

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe possesses very extensive knowledge about the investment implementation site. This stems from the development of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, which is the result of a research campaign unprecedented in scale in Poland. The studies, inventories, and monitoring lasted over 4 years, covering approximately 274 km² of the marine area and 98 km² of the land area*. The scale of the studies allowed the investor both to gather detailed knowledge about how the investment will affect the surroundings and to select appropriate minimizing measures so that the power plant construction respects the environment and local communities.

Already at this stage, in the EIA report, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe indicated the technical variant and sub-variant preferred by the company, which aims, among other things, to limit environmental impact. Among the most significant proposals are:

  • Construction of new roads and railway lines away from built-up areas to limit transport-related nuisances. For the same purpose, the construction of a marine structure – MOLF – is planned, used for unloading heavy components transported by sea directly onto the construction site, which will limit transport-related nuisances for the local community.
  • Protection of valuable species: As part of minimizing measures, before construction begins, the entire area planned for the investment will be re-surveyed by environmental protection experts to protect species occurring there. All valuable plant and animal species will be relocated to other suitable habitat locations. Furthermore, preparatory work will be conducted under ecological supervision to avoid any negative environmental incidents.
  • Tree planting: During construction, part of the area will be occupied by the construction site and support facilities, including warehouses. After work completion, it will be possible to restore biologically active surfaces, including planting trees and restoring low vegetation.
  • Open cooling system: Allowing for the avoidance of tall cooling towers and separating the power plant with a forest strip from the beach side to minimize landscape impact. The forest strip will create a physical barrier separating surrounding areas from the nuclear facility and will additionally become a migration corridor for animals to maintain the site’s ecological continuity.
  • Use of TBM machines: Tunneling underground for the cooling system will allow tunnel preparation without excavating the beach and without additional tree felling. This is also important from the perspective of protecting the sea coast and the coastal technical forest belt. The absence of earthworks in this area will help avoid negative changes in the coastal zone and will naturally maintain conditions for shore protection.

In summary, we can state that, given compliance with legal requirements concerning nature protection and considering the information presented in the EIA report, the statement ‘The area around the nuclear power plant will be degraded’ can be considered untrue. During the implementation of this Project, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe will exercise due diligence to ensure that environmental protection law is respected at all stages of project implementation, and as a conscious investor, will make every effort to ensure that the area around the power plant is restored and returned to a natural state after work completion.

*Figures refer only to the ‘Lubiatowo-Kopalino’ site. As part of the environmental impact assessment report, the investment’s impact on the ‘Żarnowiec’ site was also studied, so the marine and land area actually studied by PEJ had a significantly larger scope.

International examples show that nuclear power plants are sometimes sited in regions attractive for tourism and nature. Moreover, due to infrastructure development, tax revenues, and the consequently much larger budget for revitalizing historical monuments and developing tourist attractions, such investments can even contribute to the development of tourism.

Due to technological requirements, many countries site power plants near large rivers or sea coasts (e.g., France, Germany, Sweden), i.e., in areas that generally have tourist, natural, or historical value, whose attractiveness has not been negatively affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.1

The construction period for the power plant at the preferred site, which according to the adopted schedule will last approximately 10 years, may involve certain nuisances for residents (as is the case with other investments of this type), which the investor will strive to minimize as much as possible. Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is already talking with residents to plan appropriate improvements, such as adapting the construction work schedule to the intensity of the tourist season.

Furthermore, the analysis commissioned by the Senate of the Republic of Poland back in 2009 shows that siting a nuclear power plant in a region interesting for tourism does not reduce tourist traffic but may contribute to its increase. The study results were based on the analysis of responses to questions sent to regions where nuclear power plants are operated, including in Belgium, France, and Sweden.

Such a large investment as the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant also means the development of associated infrastructure, including roads and railways, which will positively affect the region’s ‘accessibility’ for tourists.2 There will be more connections, and travel time, for instance to the Tri-City, will be significantly shortened. Route variants for both new railway lines and new roads are being discussed with residents and local government authorities.

High amounts from taxes related to the nuclear power plant will also regularly start flowing into the municipality’s budget, which can be used by local governments for any purpose, e.g., improving the region’s tourist appeal, restoring historical monuments, building tourist attractions, etc. Furthermore, information centers often operate near power plants, acting as a kind of technological-educational park that attracts tourists.

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