Westinghouse Deal Pushes for Poland’s First Nuclear Power Plant

Poland is taking a significant step toward building its first nuclear power plant, and local manufacturers are stepping up to produce key components.

Westinghouse Electric Company recently signed conditional purchase orders with four Polish companies: Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia S.A. (EPG), FAMAK S.A., Mostostal Kielce S.A., and Mostostal Kraków S.A. These local businesses will supply heavy-duty structural modules for the first AP1000 nuclear unit at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Pomerania. The overall project is led by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ).

Poland’s First Nuclear Reactor

Nuclear reactors rely on massive, precision-engineered components. Under the new agreements, Mostostal Kielce will work on the CA02 walls module, while EPG handles the CA03 module. Both of these form parts of the in-containment refueling water storage tank inside the containment building.

Meanwhile, Mostostal Krakow will build the CA05 walls module, which uses reinforced steel plates to separate different rooms inside the reactor building. FAMAK will tackle the CA20 floors module by crafting reinforced-concrete slabs on steel plates to support heavy equipment.

To secure the final project contracts, all four companies are working through Westinghouse’s supplier program to earn full NQA-1 nuclear safety certification. They must also construct pre-production qualification mockups to prove their factories are ready for nuclear-grade manufacturing.

“These conditional purchase orders are tangible proof that Polish companies are moving closer to contributing to the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant,” said Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. “The progress made by EPG, FAMAK, Mostostal Kielce, and Mostostal Krakow in meeting NQA-1 requirements demonstrates both the strength of Polish industry and its potential to become part of the global AP1000 supply chain, supporting not only our project but also future AP1000 projects worldwide.”

A Global Supply Chain

The AP1000 reactor uses passive safety systems and modular construction to keep its physical footprint small per megawatt of output. Right now, six of these reactors operate globally, 14 are under construction, and five more are under contract. Poland, Bulgaria, and Ukraine have all selected the design for their nuclear programs.

“Westinghouse has been very impressed with the technical capabilities of Polish industry and the potential for these local suppliers in making an immediate impact in the project. Working closely with our customer, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, we have established partnerships with Polish companies to manufacture and supply safety-related modules for Unit 1 of Poland’s first AP1000 nuclear power plant,” said Dan Lipman, President of Global Business Initiatives, Westinghouse. “These local suppliers will not only help us deliver the project on time and on budget, but they will also gain valuable experience that will allow them to participate in additional AP1000 projects in Poland, across Europe, and around the world.”