Westinghouse Electric Company and Bechtel hosted a two-day symposium in Warsaw to highlight AP1000® reactor supplier opportunities for Poland’s new nuclear energy program. Representatives from more than 100 companies representing the civil construction, mechanical and electrical industries attended the event.
The AP1000® reactor program will drive significant opportunities for Polish industry to help launch a new era of clean and secure energy for the nation. Poland’s Vice Minister of Climate Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertynski offered opening remarks, along with Daniel Lawton, Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.
“We see the construction of nuclear power plants in Poland as a very complex investment issue that will have very significant implications for domestic industry. The success of such a large-scale project will be ensured only by the greatest possible involvement of domestic companies in all phases of the investment: design, construction and production of individual components for the power plants under construction. The current potential of domestic industry makes it possible to carry out a wide range of work and supplies for the nuclear sector," Guibourgé-Czetwertynski said.
“Cooperation on civil nuclear energy is a core part of our bilateral relationship. The future of Europe’s energy security depends on clean, sustainable, and safe nuclear energy - that’s why the United States is committed to serving as Poland’s trusted partner during this critical transition,” Lawton said.
“We appreciate the interest of these companies to advance a clean energy future for Poland,” said David Durham, Energy Systems President for Westinghouse. “We recently began work on this strategically important project and look forward to integrating dozens of Polish suppliers into this project going forward in partnership with the Polish and U.S. governments to provide clean energy security benefits for Poland for 60-plus years to come.”
“We are excited to continue engaging with potential suppliers in Poland in support of Poland’s new nuclear power plants,” said Ahmet Tokpinar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear Power business line. “We look forward to building lasting partnerships with these local suppliers as the project progresses.”
The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In February, Westinghouse and state-owned Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe signed a contract that covers front-end engineering, early procurement work, and program development for the reactors planned for Poland.
In addition to the four AP1000 units currently setting operational performance records in China with four additional reactors under construction and two more planned, one AP1000 reactor has begun operating at the Vogtle site in Georgia while the second Vogtle unit is nearing completion. Nine units have been announced for Ukraine, and the technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world’s first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company’s technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.