Breakthrough in Polish Nuclear Power Plant Construction: Supreme Administrative Court Dismisses Baltic-SOS Association's Complaints

The Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) issued a key ruling for the future of Polish nuclear energy. The judges dismissed the complaint of the Baltic-SOS association, which demanded a halt to work on the construction of the first unit in Choczewo in Pomerania. This verdict upholds the earlier decision of the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw. The court argued that the complaining party did not present sufficient evidence to substantiate a real threat to the environment resulting from the project's implementation. The investor, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), emphasizes that this ruling removes a significant legal barrier on the path to the country's energy transformation. Poland has been attempting to build a nuclear power plant since the 1970s, with the most famous example being the investment in Żarnowiec, which was halted in 1990. Simultaneously with the legal success, PEJ announced the completion of an important stage of preparatory work at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site. On February 10, key field activities were finalized, allowing the company to move its operational headquarters from Warsaw to Gdańsk. This change aims to improve oversight of the investment and strengthen cooperation with local authorities. „The Supreme Administrative Court confirms: no grounds to halt work on Poland's first nuclear power plant. The application and complaint of the complaining party have been dismissed.” — Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe This project also generates huge opportunities for the domestic industry. According to estimates by the Chamber of Commerce for Energy and Environmental Protection, Polish companies could carry out up to 40 percent of the work on the construction of the facility, which is a developmental impulse for the entire Pomerania region. The investment in Choczewo is based on a previously issued environmental decision by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection, which found that the project would not negatively affect the Baltic Sea ecosystem in a way that would prevent its implementation. The environmental decision thus remains in force, and the work schedule assumes that the first concrete pouring of foundations will occur in the coming years. The project is crucial for Poland's energy security, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and ensure stable electricity supplies for industry and households.