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Companies ‘postponing decisions’ on participation Courtesy Lukas Plewnia. About 80 Polish companies are ready to take part in the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plants, but government targets of between 40% and 80% “local content” in the supply chain are “optimistic”, a conference heard.

Another 300 could take part in the new-build project if they invest the effort and are willing to take risks, according to Bogdan Pilch, president of the Polish Chamber of Power Industry and Environmental Protection*, as quoted by local media.

Mr Pilch told a conference in Warsaw that many companies are postponing decisions about involvement in the Poland’s proposed nuclear programme until the final say on the project by the government.

Bartłomiej Pawlak, vice-chair of the Polish Development Fund , told the conference that targets of between 40% and 70% for local content in Poland’s nuclear new-build plans by potential vendors including US-based Westinghouse, France’s EDF, and South Korea’s KHNP, are “optimistic”.

He said the fund’s “experiences” have been “less optimistic”, adding that Poland does not have “good and long” experience in the sector.

“Looking at what Polish companies have participated in similar projects in the past, this was in practice 7%. Declarations are one thing and reality is another,” Mr Pawlak said.

According to Mr Pawlak, companies interested in taking part in the nuclear programme can receive financial support and guarantees from the Polish Development Fund of up to about €300m ($300m) for a single project.

Poland has ambitious plans to build from 6,000 to 9,000 MW of installed nuclear capacity based on Generation III and III+ large-scale, pressurised water reactor designs. Commercial operation of a first nuclear unit in a proposed set of six is planned for 2033.

According to previous reports, Warsaw expects 40% local content in the construction of the first unit, with the share growing in the consecutive deployments of the technology.

The government has not yet decided who will be building the plants or providing the nuclear technology. A decision is expected before the end of the year, according to the latest reports.

* The chamber is an independent organisation representing Polish power industry enterprises, including electricity producers, power industry and environment protection equipment manufacturers, construction and engineering service companies, consultants and law firms.

Date: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/local-supply-chain-target-for-new-nuclear-optimistic-warsaw-conference-told-9-2-2022