Poland and the US have signed an agreement that could led to the working together n Poland’s civilian nuclear energy programme, press reports said.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in Washington by Polish government official Piotr Naimski and US energy secretary Rick Perry.
“There’s a strong, strategic alliance between Poland and the US. Both states are on friendly terms, which are strengthened by a shared commitment to energy security and an understanding that it is achieved through the diversification of energy sources,” Mr Perry said.
Polish energy minister Krzysztof Tchórzewski said the US government is willing to work with Poland on its nuclear power programme. He said cooperation “would not only be based on sharing technology, but also on real partnership”.
Mr Tchórzewski said Poland was looking for a partner who would like to undertake long-term cooperation on developing Polish nuclear systems.
Mr Tchórzewski said last month that Poland is laying the groundwork to build its first commercial nuclear power reactors in the Pomerania region in the north of the country.
Poland launched a national nuclear power programme in 2014 which included the construction of up to 6 GW of capacity by 2035, but the government has been delaying a final decision on the programme since taking over in 2015.
A recent draft energy strategy called for construction of Poland’s first nuclear unit by 2033 and another five or six by 2043.
