Poland’s first commercial nuclear reactor, according to the updated 2025 schedule of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme (PNPP), is expected to start generating electricity in 2036. Construction of the first unit at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Pomerania is planned to begin in 2028, and the entire investment, comprising three AP1000 reactors, is to reach full operational capability in 2038 after all three power units have been commissioned.
Before Poland embarked on building its first commercial nuclear power plant, the country already hosted research reactors that formed the foundation of Polish nuclear science. The first nuclear reactor in Polish history was started on 14 June 1958 at the then Institute of Nuclear Research in Świerk near Warsaw, which is now the National Centre for Nuclear Research. That reactor was named EWA, an acronym for Experimental, Water, Atomic. It was a Soviet‑designed WWR‑S type and for many years served as a key research tool and source of neutrons for nuclear physics and materials science, before being decommissioned in 1995.
The next research reactor built in Poland, which is still in operation, is the MARIA reactor. Construction work began on 16 June 1970, and the reactor was started on 18 December 1974. MARIA was and remains the successor to the EWA reactor and is currently the only operating nuclear reactor in Poland. It is used for scientific research, production of radioactive isotopes for medicine and industry, and materials testing. Although these two historic facilities play a very important role in Poland’s nuclear landscape, they have nothing to do with generating electricity on a commercial scale.
The first commercial nuclear power plant
In contrast to the small research facilities, Poland’s first nuclear power plant is an investment of an entirely different magnitude and strategic importance. Its planned location is the Lubiatowo‑Kopalino area in the municipality of Choczewo in Pomerania, which was selected from an initial list of 28 candidate sites and finally confirmed by an administrative decision in January 2024.
The project envisages the construction of three power units, each equipped with an AP1000 reactor – a modern pressurised water reactor of Generation III/III+. Each of the three reactors will have a gross electrical output of 1250 megawatts, meaning the total capacity of the plant will reach 3750 megawatts. For comparison, that amount of power will be sufficient to cover the electricity demand of more than 12 million Polish households. Cooling of the reactors is planned using water from the Baltic Sea, supplied through pipes 5.5 kilometres long.
The choice of Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology was not accidental. The decision, announced in November 2022, followed an analysis of offers from three international players: Westinghouse (USA), KHNP (South Korea) and EDF (France). The final choice was driven not only by technological factors but also by strategic political and economic considerations aimed at deepening cooperation between the Polish and US governments.
Timeline and key milestones
The project to build a nuclear power plant in Poland has a long history, which effectively began after the Polish Nuclear Power Programme was announced in 2014. The key stages on the road to implementing the investment involve obtaining the legally required administrative decisions.
The siting process ended on 8 January 2024, when the Minister of Development and Technology issued a ruling stating that an appeal against the location decision was inadmissible. In practice, this meant that the Lubiatowo‑Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality was confirmed as final. Earlier, in September 2023, the General Director for Environmental Protection issued an environmental decision for this location, stating that – subject to compliance with the technical and organisational solutions set out in the environmental impact report – the investment would not have a significant negative impact on the environment.
Another breakthrough came in 2025. In December 2025, the European Commission officially approved state aid for the Polish project, which unlocked the possibility of financing the investment. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced then that “construction will be able to start immediately, still in December”. The Polish government declared that it would allocate 60 billion złoty to the investment to capitalise the special purpose company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. The entire project is to be financed on a 30 percent equity and 70 percent debt basis, with the debt being 100 percent guaranteed by the State Treasury.
Construction and commissioning schedule
According to the 2025 update of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme, the investment schedule foresees the following key dates.
The year 2026 is to be a period for submitting key applications. Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe plans to file an application for a construction licence with the National Atomic Energy Agency, which is a necessary step before any construction work can begin. In 2028, the so‑first concrete pour is scheduled, which is the symbolic moment marking the official start of construction of the first power unit. The construction phase is expected to last eight years.
In 2036, the first power unit is to be commercially commissioned. This will mean that for the first time in history, Polish households and businesses will receive electricity generated in a Polish nuclear power plant. The second and third reactors are to be commissioned at approximately two‑year intervals, so that the entire plant reaches full operational capability and all three units are running at full capacity in 2038.
Is the deadline realistic?
The implementation of such a gigantic infrastructure project, which has no precedent in Poland, carries many risks that could affect the schedule.
First, the licensing process and the obtaining of permits from the National Atomic Energy Agency is a long and demanding procedure. The Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe company must deliver detailed design documentation and safety analyses, which will be scrutinised by Polish and international experts. Any delays at this stage could automatically push back the start of construction.
Second, the supply chains for AP1000 components are global and complex. Disruptions to deliveries due to geopolitical conflicts, logistical problems or rising raw material prices could extend the construction period. Westinghouse and Bechtel, as the general contractors, have vast experience with such projects, but every new location presents unique challenges.
Third, social issues and local protests could also affect the schedule. Even though the location has been chosen and approved, some local residents and environmental organisations may attempt to block the investment through administrative appeals, petitions and protest actions. At the same time, intensive information campaigns and public consultations are ongoing to build acceptance for the project among the people of Pomerania.
Despite these challenges, both the government and the contractors declare their determination to meet the schedule. Representatives of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe have repeatedly stressed that the schedule is ambitious but achievable, and that all activities are being carefully planned and monitored. Obtaining European Commission approval for state aid and securing the key administrative decisions are seen as the biggest milestones already successfully achieved.
Significance of the first nuclear plant for Poland’s energy transition
The start‑up of the first nuclear reactor in 2036 will be of fundamental importance for Poland’s energy transformation. A nuclear power plant is seen as a stable, low‑carbon source of energy that can replace retiring coal‑fired units and ensure security of supply when renewable sources – such as wind and solar – are not generating electricity because of weather conditions.
In the long term, the Polish government plans to build further nuclear power plants. The preferred locations for a second plant are Bełchatów and Konin, as natural sites related to the existing lignite mining and coal‑fired infrastructure. Ultimately, the Polish nuclear power programme envisages the construction of six reactors in two plants, which will significantly reduce the emissions intensity of Poland’s power mix and make the economy less dependent on fossil fuel price fluctuations.
