Poland-US cooperation to allow block gas imports from Russia permanently, says PM
Poland has also discussed with the US the issue of small reactors, which are to be another energy sources in Poland, and about gas cooperation, which will make it possible to effectively further block gas imports from Russia, not only on a sanction basis, but on a permanent basis, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced before Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
"I am very keen to give a new dynamic to Polish-American relations. This is becoming a reality. The circumstances are not simple - the changes are dynamic, the global situation is unstable," Tusk said.
He added that Monday's bridge agreement with the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium, signed in his presence and in the presence of US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, also shows that the new momentum in relations with the US is becoming a reality and concerns gigantic joint ventures.
Poland's Prime Minister assured that talks included not only the large nuclear power plants, but also the small reactors (SMRs) which are expected to be another energy sources in Poland in the future.
"(...) we have also talked about (...) gas cooperation with the United States, which will also make it possible to effectively further block gas imports from Russia, not just on a sanction basis, but on a permanent basis. This is also, for obvious reasons, our goal," Tusk added.
On Monday, Poland signed a bridge agreement (Engineering Development Agreement) with US contractors, the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium, which ensures continuity in the implementation of the Pomeranian nuclear project as part of the ongoing cooperation.
Poland's first nuclear power plant in Pomerania is to have three reactors built using AP1000 technology from the American company Westinghouse with a total capacity of 3.75 GW. In its notification application to the European Commission, the government set the cost of the investment at PLN 192 billion (EUR 45 bln); with the state aid expected to reach approximately PLN 60 billion (EUR 14.1 bln).
The power plant's construction is to begin in 2028, with the first reactor expected to start operating in the system in 2036.
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