Poland begins ordering long-lead components for first nuclear plant in Choczewo

Orders for the nuclear island

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe instructed Westinghouse to procure long-lead items for the first block of the planned Lubiatowo-Kopalino nuclear power plant in Pomerania. The initial order covers six components for the nuclear island, comprising the containment vessel and associated structural modules. Manufacturing these high-specification items requires several years and specialized suppliers certified to nuclear quality standards. Early procurement of long-cycle elements is standard international practice to secure manufacturing capacity and prevent construction delays. The order proceeds under the existing Engineering Development Agreement between the Polish state-owned investor and the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium.

Contract terms and construction schedule

Securing the longest-cycle components early aims to protect the construction timetable while detailed talks continue over the final engineering, procurement, and construction contract. Main commercial terms for that construction contract were established between the developer and the consortium in September 2026. The initial reactor unit, utilizing Westinghouse AP1000 technology, is scheduled to begin commercial power generation in 2036, followed by two subsequent units in 2037 and 2038. PEJ head Marek Woszczyk explained that staged purchasing protects both the timetable and the capital budget by staggering expenditure.

Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka framed the decision around national energy policy:

We want energy from the first reactor to reach our sockets in 2036. This is a strategic investment of the Polish state that will secure our needs for decades, becoming one of the foundations of our country's energy security.

Global sourcing and Polish suppliers

Westinghouse is preparing technical documentation, quality plans, and procurement packages for raw materials before selecting suppliers for the containment vessel. Because qualified global manufacturers for reactor containment vessels remain limited, Westinghouse is evaluating suppliers in Asia and pursuing regional manufacturing options. The developer expects Polish companies to compete for subsequent manufacturing packages once they secure international ASME NQA-1 nuclear quality certification. Seven Polish firms are currently participating in that qualification process: Famak, Zakład Konstrukcji Spawanych Ferrum, Mostostal Kielce, Mostostal Siedlce, Mostostal Kraków, Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia, and ZBUD. Dan Lipman, president of global business initiatives at Westinghouse, stated that ordering long-lead items helps integrate Polish industry into supply chains for this facility and future European AP1000 projects.

Government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure Wojciech Wrochna addressed the contract structure:

We adopted this approach in order to give ourselves time for further detailed negotiations regarding the EPC contract, without pressure that the lack of ordering LLIs would affect the investment schedule. A good contract, properly balancing responsibility and establishing cooperation mechanisms at the construction stage, is the key to the success of the project in future years.

Site preparations and financial audits

Preparations on the ground advanced in August 2026 when PEJ handed over the coastal construction site in Lubiatowo-Kopalino in the Choczewo municipality to Bechtel. Contractors are currently conducting second-phase preparatory works and deep geological drilling, following a construction licence application submitted to the National Atomic Energy Agency in March 2026. Bechtel previously received instructions to contract turbines and auxiliary equipment from Arabelle, part of the EDF group, and to construct an on-site module assembly facility. On 7 October 2026, PEJ launched due diligence covering technical, environmental, and insurance assessments with ENCO, ERM, and Howden to prepare financing documentation for credit institutions. The developer also appointed PMC and Pekao Investment Banking as hedging advisors to manage foreign exchange, interest rate, and commodity price risks.