Poland’s goal is to have one strategic partner for its ambitious nuclear programme “for decades”, not only for construction but for operation and decommissioning, according to Tomasz Nowacki, director of the nuclear energy department at Warsaw’s climate ministry.

Mr Nowacki told a webinar* on nuclear energy’s contribution to net zero and sustainable development goals, that Poland wants a 51% share of the project with 49% for the partner. “We want one technology and we want a proven technology,” he said. “We do not have time to wait for small modular reactors. We need to provide our economy with very large volumes of electricity.”

He said according to Poland’s analysis, in the long run nuclear will provide economy and society with “the cheapest electricity in next decades”. He also called for more government support for nuclear projects in Europe and warned that in some countries this commitment is lacking and it can kill any kind of big infrastructure project, especially nuclear because it is sensitive.