Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has said that construction of the country’s first nuclear power station on the Baltic coast marks a strategic shift of Poland’s economic and industrial focus towards the north of the country.

Speaking at the site at Lubiatowo-Kopalino in the province of Pomerania, where geological works have begun for the construction of three Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear plants, Tusk said the project, together with offshore wind development and the expansion of Baltic ports, is part of a “carefully planned” transformation that will boost Poland’s energy security and stimulate regional growth.

He described the project as a “symbol of Poland’s energy leap”, adding that it represents a decisive move from planning to implementation after decades of delay in nuclear development.