Poland prepares for ambitious new-build programme
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Poland's National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) have extended their cooperation agreement for the next five years, the NRC said in a statement.
The statement said the renewed relationship will involve the sharing of information regarding the designs of Westinghouse's large AP1000 pressurised water reactor and GE Hitachi's small modular BWRX-300 reactor.
Poland has selected these designs for the construction of its first nuclear energy plants, construction of which will begin during the term of the new agreement.
NRC chair Christopher Hanson expressed optimism about working with the PAA, stating that they will share their extensive experience in reactor operations as Poland establishes its civilian nuclear power programme.
He said that the NRC will contribute their knowledge gained from certifying and licensing two AP1000 units at the Vogtle site in Georgia.
Additionally, they will share information as they transition from pre-application work to a comprehensive review of the BWRX-300 for use in the US. This collaboration with Poland builds upon their existing technical partnership with Canadian counterparts, focusing on small modular and advanced reactor designs.
Cooperation between the NRC and PAA began in 2010, when they signed their first bilateral agreement, one of over 50 similar agreements the NRC has established with international regulatory counterparts in the past four decades.
In February 2023, PAA signed a similar cooperation agreement with their Canadian counterpart.
