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Bank Gospodarstwa KrajowegoPoland's FinMin discusses SMRs, nuclear power plant with US Energy Secretary
Poland's Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domanski told PAP that he spoke with the US Energy Secretary about the development of small modular reactors, LNG supplies and work on the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The talks carried out by Poland's state development bank BGK representatives concerned World Bank support for the Polish nuclear energy sector.
Domanski met with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright during his visit to Washington for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Poland's finance minister said that the topics of discussion included nuclear energy, both the construction of Poland's first large nuclear power plant and small modular reactors (SMRs), a relatively new technology.
"The United States is our key ally and partner in the implementation of strategic energy projects. We discussed the progress of work on the construction of the first nuclear power plant, emphasising the need to involve Polish companies and strengthen the competence of the domestic industry," Domanski told PAP.
"We talked about the importance of American LNG supplies to Poland and the entire region. We agreed on further steps to strengthen cooperation in this area. We agreed on the prospects for the development of small modular reactor technology, in which we see promising opportunities for cooperation between Polish and American companies," he added.
Plans to build SMRs in Poland to power industry have been discussed for several years. In August, Poland's largest energy concern Orlen and Synthos Green Energy, the alternative energy unit of Synthos belonging to Polish billionaire Michal Solowow, signed an agreement to build such reactors in Wloclawek. The project involves the creation of a fleet of SMRs based on American technology from GE Vernova.
Domanski emphasised that investments in clean energy sources increase the competitiveness of the Polish economy and, at the same time, are a guarantee of Poland's security, which the government wants to strengthen, among other things, by deepening the partnership with the US.
Nuclear energy was also the subject of talks in Washington between representatives of Poland's state development bank - BGK's head Miroslaw Czekaj and board member Mateusz Szczurek – and Anna Akhalkatsi, World Bank Director for the European Union.
The talks concerned the possibility of World Bank support for financing nuclear energy projects in Poland. According to BGK representatives, the World Bank expressed interest in this topic.
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