Poland’s new nuclear energy programme is a good step forward. CATF issues recommendations for improvement.
WARSAW – Yesterday, the Polish government published an updated draft of its nuclear energy program (PPEJ), reinforcing the country’s commitment to nuclear energy as a contributor to energy security, decarbonisation, and industrial competitiveness.
“Poland’s updated nuclear energy programme sends a strong signal of its commitment to nuclear energy as a pillar of decarbonization, energy security, and industrial competitiveness,” said Malwina Qvist, Director of the Nuclear Energy program at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “Nuclear power holds a unique role in Poland’s energy transition—displacing coal, complementing renewables, and bolstering industrial competitiveness through reliable, low-carbon baseload power.”
The draft PPEJ introduces several notable developments:
- A competitive technology section process for Poland’s second nuclear power plant (EJ2), with consideration for delivery timelines, financing structures, and workforce development.
- A clear emphasis on integrating nuclear projects with local energy users and infrastructure, targeting industrial clusters.
- Acknowledgement for the potential for nuclear to support district heating, with large scale reactors or small modular reactors (SMRS).
- Site selection for EJ2 focuses on repowering coal region, addressing key just transition goals.
“There’s clear momentum behind this shift,” added Qvist. “But targeted improvements are needed to navigate the complexities of nuclear deployment, building on lessons learned in the region and overseas.”
Despite these strengths, the plan leaves critical questions unanswered:
- Unresolved leadership on EJ2: Ambiguity remains around who will lead the second project, raising risks of misalignment and delays.
- Mention of reprocessing: The inclusion of spent fuel reprocessing, with little clarity on intent or implementation, raises nonproliferation concerns and risks signaling support for a plutonium economy.
- Market design risks: The PPEJ acknowledges that nuclear plants may be curtailed during high renewable generation periods but offers no viable solutions to mitigate these risks—threatening project economics and system reliability.
CATF recommends the following key improvements to maximize the benefits of the updated PPEJ:
- Strengthened economic modelling and financing: Update economic models to reflect current energy price volatility, inflation, and energy security concerns. A clear financing model aligned with EU state aid rules is essential to ensure efficient funding and project implementation. Additional language clarifying the measures to increase ‘domestic content’ is also needed.
- Advancing small modular reactors (SMRs): The updated PPEJ outlines plans to integrate SMRs into Poland’s energy mix. SMRs offers crucial clean heat and electricity for the industrial energy users, and tailored government support is needed, including clear regulatory pathways, infrastructure readiness, and market incentives such as Power Purchase Agreements and two-way Contracts for Difference (consistent with Regulation (EU) 2024/1747).
- Coordinated energy governance: Better coordination among public administration bodies involved in nuclear project development is crucial. Institutional improvement of regulatory authorities in the energy market and nuclear sector can streamline decision-making, reduce costs, and accelerate timelines—drawing from successful international models cited in the position paper.
- Improved international and regional collaboration: Deepen partnerships across Central and Eastern Europe to align regulatory standards, pool resources for research and technology transfer, and strengthen regional supply chains.
“The success of Poland’s industrial transformation will depend on the availability of abundant, affordable and low-carbon electricity,” said Tamara Lagurashvili Director, Central and Eastern Europe at CATF. “Nuclear energy, combined with renewables, energy storage and carbon capture, can form the basis of just energy transition where industry and society will not be left behind. CATF is committed to working in close collaboration with stakeholders in Poland to support the nuclear strategy and accelerate the transition to a secure, low-carbon future.”
In the coming weeks, CATF will release a paper analyzing Poland’s nuclear energy strategy with key recommendations for policymakers.
Press Contact
Natalie Volk, Communications Manager, [email protected], +1 703-785-9580
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
