Three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors are planned for the plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland. The AP1000 reactor design uses modular construction techniques, enabling large structural modules to be built at factories and then installed at the site. The reactor building and systems consist of dozens of prefabricated, steel-concrete structural and mechanical modules.
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) last week gave Westinghouse the go-ahead to start ordering long-lead items for the project's first AP1000 unit. It said the scope of the order for the first unit covers six key components of the nuclear island, including the reactor containment vessel and associated structural modules.
Westinghouse has now placed conditional purchase orders with Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia SA (EPG), FAMAK SA, Mostostal Kielce SA and Mostostal Krakow SA to support the first AP1000 unit at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site.
The conditional purchase orders cover the CA02 Walls Module Scope for Mostostal Kielce, the CA03 Module Scope for EPG, the CA05 Walls Module Scope for Mostostal Krakow, and the CA20 Floors Module Scope for FAMAK.
In an AP1000 unit, the CA02 walls module and the CA03 module are part of the in-containment refuelling water storage tank in the containment building. The CA05 walls module consists of reinforced steel plates that provide protective walls separating various rooms in the containment building. The CA20 floors module consists of reinforced concrete slabs placed on steel plates to form the floors of the larger CA20 module that houses plant equipment inside the unit.
Westinghouse said that, as part of its ongoing supplier development programme, each of the four companies is steadily progressing toward full NQA-1 compliance. Upon NQA-1 certification and the successful fabrication of pre-production qualification mock-ups - which demonstrate increasing readiness to support future nuclear safety-related manufacturing activities - Westinghouse will award companies the full project scope.
"Westinghouse has been very impressed with the technical capabilities of Polish industry and the potential for these local suppliers in making an immediate impact in the project," said Dan Lipman, President of Global Business Initiatives at Westinghouse. "Working closely with our customer, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, we have established partnerships with Polish companies to manufacture and supply safety-related modules for Unit 1 of Poland's first AP1000 nuclear power plant. These local suppliers will not only help us deliver the project on time and on budget, but they will also gain valuable experience that will give them an opportunity to participate in additional AP1000 projects in Poland, across Europe and around the world."
Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of PEJ, added: "These conditional purchase orders are tangible proof that Polish companies are moving closer to contributing to the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The progress made by EPG, FAMAK, Mostostal Kielce and Mostostal Krakow in meeting NQA-1 requirements demonstrates both the strength of Polish industry and its potential to become part of the global AP1000 supply chain, supporting not only our project but also future AP1000 projects worldwide."
Early procurement of components with long lead times is common in nuclear projects worldwide. It helps secure the availability of production capacity, mitigates the risk of delays, and supports timely project implementation. The scope of work includes preparing technical documentation, quality and supervision plans, selecting and contracting suppliers, and initiating material procurement necessary to commence production. The production and delivery of finished components to the construction site will be handled as part of a subsequent order, which PEJ plans to issue as part of the power plant construction contract.
Last month, Polish construction engineering firm Polimex Mostostal was selected by Bechtel to deliver, assemble and commission two large-scale assembly halls as part of the project to construct the Lubiatowo-Kopalino plant. Under the contract, Polimex Mostostal will provide a key element of the production and assembly facilities for the construction of three Westinghouse AP1000 units commissioned by PEJ. The contract includes a full range of engineering services, including the development of design documentation for obtaining necessary permits, as well as the supply of materials, structural assembly, testing, acceptance, and final handover of both halls.
Construction of the Lubiatowo-Kopalino plant is scheduled to begin in 2028. Under the recent update to the country's nuclear power programme, the first unit is scheduled to start commercial operation in 2036, and the plant is expected to reach full capacity by 2038 - three years later than previously planned.
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