Company begins SMR discussions with Polish regulator
29 October 2020
Synthos Green Energy (SGE) has entered discussions with the Polish nuclear regulator about a potential GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) project. SGE is seeking a general opinion from the regulator, Państwowa Agencja Atomistyki (PAA), which it described as the first step of the procedure before the regulatory process for the planned construction of a nuclear power plant in Poland.
GEH's impression of a BWRX-300 plant site (Image: GEH)
Under the Polish Nuclear Act of 29 November 2000, SGE may ask PAA to issue a general opinion about the organisational and technical solutions to be applied in the construction and operation of a potential nuclear facility in Poland before applying for a construction permit. SGE, which is part of the Synthos Group SA, said its proposal was prepared in cooperation with strategic partners Fortum Power and Heat Oy, Exelon Generation and GEH.
SGE President Rafał Kasprów said the request to the PAA would allow it to determine the scope of a full application for a general opinion. "It is a first step and we are prepared to move forward with the regulatory process together with the PAA," he said.
"SGE and its strategic partners firmly believe that SMR technology such as GEH's BWRX-300 can be a part of the deep decarbonisation plan of the Polish energy sector and the industry," said Michał Sołowow, owner of the Synthos Group.
GEH and Synthos SA announced in October 2019 an agreement to collaborate on potential deployment applications for the BWRX-300 in Poland. SGE and GEH earlier this month signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate on development and deployment of the BWRX-300, a 300 MWe SMR derived from GEH's 1520 MWe Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) design.
"With our design-to-cost approach, we believe the BWRX-300 is ideally positioned to help SGE and Poland meet the demand for clean, stable and affordable energy," said GEH Executive Vice President of Nuclear Products Jon Ball said. "We look forward to supporting SGE as it considers deploying this game-changing technology to meet the energy needs of its operations and help Poland achieve its goals for decarbonisation."
SGE was established to develop and implement zero-emission technologies and electricity production from renewable energy sources for the Synthos Group, which is the largest private industrial group in Poland.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News