Live
Poles sleeping 12 minutes less per night as screens disrupt rest, new study finds·Poland begins construction of first Swedish-built submarine as crews train abroad·Prime Minister unveils ‘social contract’ to tackle youth unemployment in the UK·Maja Chwalińska reaches first WTA 1000 quarter-final with victory over Iva Jovic·Russia builds military radio network in Belarus pointing towards Poland and NATO·President Nawrocki vetoes electoral code reform amid claims it could lead to fraud·Severe drought declared in southern England as reservoirs drop below 20%·EU leaders clash over €1.62tn budget as Poland fights to protect regional funds·Home Office threatens visa ban on Eritreans over deportation row·European allies reject US plan to unfreeze Russian assets and hand control to Washington·
Business & money · NUCLEAR ENERGY

Polish billionaires invest half a billion złoty in small modular reactors

Eight business figures to back BWRX-300 SMR project as Poland pursues nuclear power with plans for up to 26 reactors in six locations.

PUBLISHED
READING TIME
3 MIN
Modern nuclear power plant facility with cooling towers
PHOTO NASA / CC0 via Openverse

A group of prominent Polish entrepreneurs have committed half a billion złoty to a project building small modular reactors based on BWRX-300 technology, according to an announcement from SGE, the company developing the programme in Poland.

The investors include InPost chief executive Rafał Brzoska, Krzysztof Pawiński, Michał Wypychewicz, Dariusz Gałęzewski, Dominik Doliński, Mati Staniszewski, Michał Brański and Bruno Wejchert, Bankier.pl reported on Wednesday.

BWRX-300 is a reactor with an output of roughly 300 megawatts electric, designed specifically for mass production. The technology descends from the boiling water reactor family, of which 67 units have been built worldwide. Forty of these remain operational in the United States, Japan, Sweden, Finland and Spain.

Six sites under consideration

SGE, the firm leading the Polish deployment of the technology developed by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, has outlined an ambitious plan to construct as many as 26 BWRX-300 reactors at six locations across the country. Sites being assessed include Włocławek in central Poland, Stawy Monowskie and Stalowa Wola in the south-east, according to the company statement.

The domestic investment comes on top of foreign backing already secured. SGE said it has obtained commitments from international investors totalling 1.35 billion złoty, bringing the combined capital raised for the programme to more than 1.8 billion złoty.

Small modular reactors are seen as a faster and more flexible route to nuclear power than large conventional plants. Their compact, factory-built design is intended to lower construction costs and shorten build times, making them attractive to countries seeking to diversify energy sources and cut carbon emissions.

What this means for Poles in Poland

Poland is racing to reduce its dependence on coal, which still generates the majority of the country’s electricity, and has placed nuclear energy at the centre of its energy transition strategy. The government has already committed to building a large nuclear plant on the Baltic coast in partnership with American firm Westinghouse, with the first reactor due online in the mid-2030s.

The SMR programme backed by Polish billionaires represents a parallel track. If successful, the smaller reactors could come online more quickly and in multiple locations, potentially stabilising electricity prices and improving energy security. For households and businesses, a diversified energy mix may help moderate future bill increases and reduce exposure to fossil fuel price swings.

The involvement of high-profile domestic investors signals growing confidence in the commercial viability of nuclear power in Poland. However, the project remains in early stages. Regulatory approval, site preparation and construction will take several years, and operational reactors are unlikely before the end of this decade at the earliest.

Anyone interested in following the programme’s progress or potential local impacts—particularly residents near the proposed sites—should monitor announcements from SGE and Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency, which oversees nuclear licensing and safety.

Source: Bankier.pl — finanse. Written by the newsroom with the help of AI tools, based on the source reporting. Editorial standards

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *