SGE and ZE PAK form joint venture for six BWRX-300 reactors in Poland
The plant at Pątnów would have 1,800 MWe of capacity and be built on the site of an existing coal plant.
Key facts
- ZE PAK contributes land rights to the venture; may later hold a minority stake or sell to SGE
- SGE holds a decision in principle for 26 BWRX-300 units in Poland
- UK proposal covers 14 BWRX-300s across three sites under the Advanced Nuclear Framework
- SGE is a co-investor in GE Vernova Hitachi's standard BWRX-300 design
- NRC issued a construction permit for the first BWRX-300, at Clinch River in Tennessee
SGE and ZE PAK have agreed to establish a joint venture to develop a nuclear power plant at Pątnów in Poland featuring up to six BWRX-300 small modular reactors, the companies said on October 15. The plant would have a capacity of 1,800 MWe and would repurpose an existing coal plant owned by ZE PAK.
ZE PAK said its participation will consist of contributing rights to land the company currently owns to the joint venture. In subsequent years ZE PAK will have the option to remain in the project as a minority shareholder or sell its shares in the company managing the project to SGE, ending its involvement.
SGE, previously Sythos Green Energy, is a co-investor in the standard design of GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300. A decision in principle has been issued in Poland for a total of 26 of the reactors, and a proposal for a fleet of 14 across three sites is being considered in the UK under its Advanced Nuclear Framework programme.
Michał Sołowow, founder of SGE, said the existing coal-fired plant will have to shut down and that its closure without a reliable replacement could disrupt grid operations.
The first BWRX-300 is under construction in Canada. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for the first BWRX-300 at the Clinch River site in Tennessee, and the reactor has also been selected for projects being developed by SaskPower in Canada, Blue Energy in the USA and Studsvik in Sweden.