EDF makes latest move to build EPRs in Poland
Électricité de France has signed cooperation agreements with five Polish companies as it continues its efforts to be named the large-reactor supplier for Poland’s incipient nuclear power program.
Polish firms Polimex Mostostal, Sefako, Tele-Fonika Kable, Uniserv, and ZRE Katowice inked the pacts at the fifth Polish-French Nuclear Industry Day in Ołtarzew, Poland. According to EDF, the event was held to foster collaboration between Polish and French companies in support of the utility giant’s offer to deliver four to six EPRs for the Polish program.
Ramany
What they’re saying: “EDF is committed to partnering with the Polish supply chain for the success of EPR projects in Poland and in Europe,” said Vakisasai Ramany, EDF senior vice president in charge of international nuclear development. “EDF’s ambition in Poland is very clear and has never varied: We want to deliver an integrated offer, based on European technology and European supply chain, to contribute to energy independence, security of supply, and energy transition.”
Thierry Deschaux, managing director of the EDF Representative Office in Poland, said that “with 66 Polish companies already prequalified by EDF, we are consolidating our Polish localization strategy and are confident we can raise this score to more than 100 by the end of this year.”
Context: Last October, EDF submitted a nonbinding preliminary offer to the Polish government for the construction of four to six EPRs, representing a total installed capacity of 6.6 to 9.9 GWe across two to three sites.
The offer, EDF stated at the time, “covers all key parameters of the program, such as plant configuration, industrial scheme, plans for the development of the local supply chain, cost estimate, and schedule” and “aims at setting the principles for a Polish-French strategic partnership framework in support of Poland’s ambitious energy transition plan, aligned with the European carbon neutrality target.”
Also vying for the role of large-reactor supplier to Poland are U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power. With grant support from the United States Trade and Development Agency, Westinghouse and partner Bechtel are jointly preparing a front-end engineering design for the Polish government’s consideration of a three-unit AP1000 plant, while KHNP in April offered to construct six APR1400 reactors, with a total capacity of 8.4 GW.
