The move confirms the companies have “pre-qualified” to participate in potential EPR development programmes in Poland.
The five companies are: Polimex Mostostal, Sefako, Tele-fonika Kable, Uniserv and ZRE Katowice. Cooperation agreements were also concluded between Bouygues Travaux Publics and Budimex SA and between industry groups Igeos and Gifen.
In December 2021, EDF signed agreements in Paris with Polish construction groups Dominion Polska, Rafako and Zarmen, industrial installation design company Egis Poland and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia, a manufacturer of steel structures.
EDF said it has has qualified 66 local companies to potentially take part in a nuclear new-build project in Poland.
Thierry Deschaux, head of EDF’s Warsaw office, said: “With 66 Polish companies already pre-qualified by EDF, we are consolidating our Polish localisation strategy, and are confident we can raise this score to more than 100 by the end of this year.”
“EDF’s ambitions in Poland are very clear and have never changed: we want to provide an integrated offer, based on European technology and European supply chain”, said Vakisasai Ramany, EDF senior vice president responsible for international nuclear development.
Poland wants to build from 6,000 to 9,000 MW of installed nuclear capacity based on proven, large-scale, pressurised water reactor technology, and is expected to choose a technology vendor by the end of 2022. Commercial operation of a first unit in a proposed set of six is planned for 2033.
On 13 October 2021, EDF submitted a non-binding preliminary offer to the Polish government for the provision of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for four to six EPR reactors in Poland. This initial bid covers all key parameters of the programme such as plant configuration, industrial layout, local supply chain development plans, cost and schedule.
EDF is one of three bidders who want to take part in the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power station. South Korea’s KHNP has already submitted non-binding offers to the Polish government, which expects to make a final decision on the project by the end of 2022. An offer by Westinghouse Electric Company is also expected to be received by the end of August, according to earlier reports.
