The nuclear energy sector in Poland is not a playground for every company. According to Monika Silva, deputy director general of the Chamber of Industry for Energy and Environmental Protection (IGEiOŚ), preparing to participate in building a nuclear power plant is costly and time-consuming, and requires systematic state support for domestic firms.
Silva warns that expectations of a massive Polish involvement in the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant may be misguided. The sector operates under its own strict quality and safety regimes, which are far more demanding than those in conventional energy. “The nuclear sector is not for all companies. If we expect that a whole mass of Polish firms will work on the construction of a nuclear power plant, we have to admit that these assumptions are simply wrong,” she said.
She stressed that Polish firms will only participate when they are fully prepared. That preparation requires a strategic decision to shift from conventional to nuclear operations, and it comes with significant financial outlays and no guarantee of winning contracts. “These companies must take a huge risk without a guarantee of receiving orders,” Silva added.
Polish firms face a steep learning curve
The nuclear power plant consists of two main parts: the nuclear island – the reactor core – and the conventional island, which includes turbines and auxiliary equipment. Silva noted that the conventional part, along with external infrastructure components, is “absolutely within reach of Polish companies” because it does not fall under the strictest quality regimes.
However, entering even the conventional segment requires meeting nuclear-grade standards. “This sector is only for those who understand nuclear energy and are able to adapt to the demanding quality norms that apply in the nuclear sector,” she emphasised.
The challenge of local content
Discussions about local content – the share of Polish supplies and services – have been intense. Silva pointed out that while Poland is bound by EU competition law, new legal instruments such as the Net Zero Industry Act and Industrial Acceleration Act allow investors to modify contracts to favour local content. “We are talking here about short supply chains and new legal solutions that the EU is providing, allowing us to base local content on regional security of supply and independence of the European and local supply chain,” she explained.
According to data cited by Silva, 121 Polish companies have completed more than one project in the global nuclear sector. Another 231 firms have declared readiness – after meeting quality and certification requirements – to participate in building the power plant, especially in its conventional part. Many contracts include confidentiality clauses, so new information about Polish firms’ experience abroad emerges only gradually, after these clauses expire.
A strategic decision without guarantees
Silva stressed that creating a supportive ecosystem is essential. The state, government agencies and local institutions must play an active role in helping firms prepare for nuclear projects. “It all depends on us – on companies that must understand what the nuclear sector is and make a strategic decision to shift their activity from conventional to nuclear. These companies take a huge risk without a guarantee of receiving orders,” she repeated.
The modernisation of the Maria research reactor in Świerk shows that Polish suppliers are already delivering components such as pumps for nuclear installations – a positive sign for the future. But the road to large-scale involvement remains long and uncertain.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. WNP.PL
