Poland and Bechtel-Westinghouse agree on main terms
Poland's state nuclear company and a Bechtel-Westinghouse consortium have agreed on the main commercial terms for the country's first nuclear power plant
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) and the Bechtel-Westinghouse consortium have agreed on the main commercial terms for Poland’s first nuclear power plant. The agreement, reached on September 23, provides a framework to negotiate the final details of the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for a three-unit AP1000 plant. Remaining terms are to be finalized by year-end, advancing the project to its next stage.
Project moves toward construction with site work underway
Work is moving forward at the power plant site in the Lubiatowo-Kopalino location in Choczewo commune. PEJ released the project site to Bechtel in August of this year. The second stage of preparatory work is now underway.
This includes grading and leveling, upgrading drainage systems, constructing temporary roads, and conducting in-depth geological surveys. The project continues to award contracts to Polish companies for key site work. Officials said more contracts with Polish subcontractors are expected to be awarded soon.
In March 2026, PEJ applied to Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency for a construction license. Bechtel and Westinghouse cited their recent experience completing the two-unit expansion at the Vogtle site in the United States as a key element of their work in Poland. The Polish project team already includes nearly 200 Polish nationals, with another 100 in the recruitment process.
Reactor technology and project scale defined
The power station will use three Westinghouse AP1000 Generation III+ pressurized water reactors, providing a total generation capacity of 3,750 MW. The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems and features a modular construction design.
Bechtel recently completed the most modern AP1000 units in the United States at the Plant Vogtle site in Georgia. That project marked the first new nuclear units built in the country in more than three decades.
Economic and industrial benefits for Poland outlined
The project is expected to generate significant economic benefits for Poland. Construction has already provided about $250 million in contracts for Poland-based companies. Benefits include the creation of highly skilled jobs needed for several generations and opportunities for local companies to participate in AP1000 projects in the region and globally.
Staff-development agreements are in place with three Polish universities. Dan Lipman, President of Global Business Initiatives at Westinghouse, stated the reactor will "provide Poland with abundant, reliable energy, contribute billions of zlotys to its economy and create thousands of jobs in both countries during construction and operation."
Dena Volovar, president of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental business, said the agreement reflects the momentum built with PEJ. Bechtel has designed, built, or supported 150 nuclear power plants over 80 years. Marek Woszczyk, president of PEJ, confirmed the first electricity from the power plant will flow to the Polish grid in 2036. Remaining terms of the EPC contract are to be finalized by year-end.
