The Polish National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ -Narodowe Centrum Badań Jądrowych) and US-based Westinghouse Electric Company have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at conducting joint research in nuclear energy. The Polish Energy Ministry said this includes technological projects, scientific and applied studies and training programmes. The partnership will also support Poland’s domestic nuclear technology supply chain.
The joint NCBJ–Westinghouse initiative supports the priorities of Poland’s Energy Security Strategy and represents another step towards establishing a robust scientific and technical foundation for the country’s nuclear power programme. Westinghouse is set to develop Poland’s first NPP in Pomerania. NCBJ, Poland’s largest research institute, operates the country’s only research reactor, MARIA, providing unique opportunities for national and international research projects.
The parties will undertake activities including:
- research into advanced reactor technologies, including small modular reactors;
- development of research and testing infrastructure to support the deployment of new technological and material solutions;
- cooperation on safety analyses; and
- various operational strategies.
“I am convinced that combining NCBJ’s research and technological potential with Westinghouse’s global experience will create a strong platform for building a modern and competitive nuclear energy sector in Poland and accelerate the implementation of our nuclear programme,” stated NCBJ Director Jakub Kupecki. “This partnership is strategic in nature. We are joining forces in areas critical to Poland’s energy security and low-carbon transformation: from reactor technology research and supply chain development to personnel training and industrial cooperation.”
Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka said: “The construction of the first Polish nuclear power plant opens a new chapter in the history of Polish energy. The NCBJ’s collaboration with Westinghouse goes a step further. It is an investment in the future – in new competences, new technologies and new jobs. We are building our own value chain in nuclear energy, based on knowledge, innovation and energy security. We want Poland to be not only the recipient of technology, but also its co-creator. Together with the best partners from around the world, we are developing enormous potential that will provide our economy with new dynamics and energy independence for subsequent generations.”
Lou Martinez, Vice President, Research & Development and Executive Director, Technology at Westinghouse noted: “This collaboration is in line with Westinghouse’s broader strategy of developing breakthrough nuclear innovations for current and future generations of reactors around the world.”
The agreement is an element of NCBJ’s broad strategy, the aim of which is to combine science with industry in the area of nuclear energy. For years, the Institute has been supporting government administration and business entities in the process of preparing nuclear investments, conducting research in the field of reactor engineering and physics, nuclear safety, radioactive waste management and the development of next-generation fusion and reactor technologies.
