Mateusz Morawiecki made the statement at the Darlington New Nuclear Project near Toronto on Friday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The site will host the world’s first SMR reactor, which is expected to have a capacity of 300 MWh and be ready by 2028, according to officials.
The Polish prime minister visited Darlinton as part of his trip to Canada for talks on bilateral cooperation in energy, the PAP news agency reported.
Later in the day, Morawiecki met with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.
The Polish prime minister told reporters in Darlington: “The world has experienced real shocks in recent years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, distorted supply chains, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and climate change.”
He added: “All of this means that the world has to look for new technologies that are stable, good for the environment, but above all good for people and business.”
Morawiecki said that the Toronto-based Ontario Power Generation (OPG) company would build the world’s first SMR reactor in Darlington and would also assist Poland in embracing the technology to produce electricity using nuclear power.
Poland, Canada 'strengthen transatlantic relations’
The Polish prime minister also said: “Today, Poland and Canada are facing energy, economic and security challenges.”
Morawiecki added: “I am glad that both Canada and Poland strengthen transatlantic relations. NATO stands firmly on two legs, on two sides of the Atlantic, thanks to determined efforts from such countries as Canada and Poland.”
The Polish prime minister hailed "state-of-the-art SMR technology," saying it would “provide a stable and secure supply of energy at affordable prices.”
He said SMR would mean “a stable supply of heat and electricity at affordable prices for households,” as well as “boost the competitiveness of businesses.”
Morawiecki stated: “Here in Canada, the world’s most advanced nuclear technologies will soon be implemented in practice and Poland will benefit from them, as well.”
He added that OPG executives described Poland as "a very good partner."
The Polish prime minister declared: “It is a milestone on the path to ensuring a stable source of energy supply for Poland. And this, in turn, is the basis for long-term, healthy and fast economic development of our country.”
Polish, Canadian companies sign letter of intent to deploy SMR reactors in Poland
Meanwhile, in an event coinciding with Morawiecki’s visit to the Darlington New Nuclear Project site, Ontario Power Generation signed a letter of intent with Poland’s Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) to help the Polish company “deploy and operate small modular reactors (SMRs) in Europe,” officials said.
OSGE CEO Rafał Kasprów said: “OPG is our key strategic partner. We recognize the company's experience in the nuclear industry as well as its determination and progress in deploying the first BWRX-300" SMR reactor.
He added: “We benefit from the experience of the Darlington New Nuclear Project, and we are pleased that we can use the organization’s knowledge and support to deploy BWRX-300 reactors in Poland more efficiently.”
Kasprów announced: “Working together to develop an operating organization for the SMR fleet in Poland is the next step, with the possibility to expand into the UK as well as other parts of the European Union. We are looking forward to doing so with such a reputable partner.”
In March, Canada’s OPG and Poland’s OSGE joined the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and GE Hitachi (GEH) Nuclear Energy in a “technical collaboration agreement” to advance global deployment of GEH’s BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor, OPG noted.
Under that deal, the four companies committed to investing in the development of “the BWRX-300 standard design and detailed design of key components,” according to officials.
Poland’s OSGE is a joint-venture company established by the state-run energy giant Orlen Group and Synthos Green Energy “to deploy a fleet of BWRX-300s that will become an important part of Poland’s energy mix, providing citizens and the industry with stable, zero-emission electricity,” OPG said.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, wgospodarce.pl, OPG