President Andrzej Duda has signed a bill that provides for the allocation of funds from the national budget for the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. This was reported by the Polish Press Agency (PAP), reports News.bg.
According to the new law, the state-owned company Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe (PEJ), the main investor and operator of the project, will receive 60.2 billion zlotys (14.45 billion euros) of public funding in the form of cash contributions to its founding capital for the period 2025-2030. In addition, the government will be able to support PEJ through government securities.
However, the European Commission (EC) has not yet approved the funding. In December 2024 it has launched a formal investigation to determine whether public funds for the project comply with European Union state aid rules.
According to the updated Polish Nuclear Energy Programme of 2020, the construction of two nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 6-9 GW is planned. PEJ will be the sole owner and operator of these facilities.
The previous government chose the American consortium Westinghouse-Bechtel as a partner for the first plant, which will be built in Lubiatow-Kopalino, in the northern part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
The financing of the project will be provided through a combination of the investor's own funds (30%, including state aid) and loans from financial institutions (70%).
The latest statements by government officials indicate that the construction of the first reactor will start in 2028, and the commercial operation of the first unit is expected to begin in 2036.