– This is a very important day for Poland, for our energy security – comments Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka.
Motyka, together with the Deputy Minister of Energy, the government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure, Wojciech Wrochna, and the president of the company responsible for the construction of the power plant, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, Marek Woszczyk, appeared at a press briefing at the Ministry of Energy.
The minister emphasizes that the power plant in Lubiatów-Kopalina is “the largest investment in the history of our economy, guaranteeing stable energy supplies. – We are doing everything to start construction in 2028, and the first electricity will flow from the power plant in 2036,” declares Miłosz Motyka. He adds that this investment is a “full priority” for the government.
The first Polish nuclear power plant will be built in Lubiatów-Kopalina in Pomerania
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MATEUSZ SLODKOWSKI / FotoNews / Forum / Forum Polish Photographers Agency
We know the price of electricity from the power plant and the length of the contract for difference
The duration of the contract for difference is crucial in the European Commission's decision. The Polish application assumed that the operational phase of the nuclear power plant would be covered by price support in the form of a two-way contract for difference. We requested as long as 60 years of this contract, but the EC agreed to a shorter period – 40 years. However, this has a good side – it means that we will repay the loans for the construction of the power plant faster, and for the rest of the period of its operation it will be free from this burden. In total, such a unit can operate for up to 80 years.
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The contract for difference is intended to provide PEJ – as an investor and future operator of the power plant – with stable revenues. On the other hand, it protects electricity consumers in the event of high market prices.
Another extremely important, and from the point of view of average Polish residents, the most important issue is the price of electricity from the power plant in Lubiatów-Kopalina. The Polish notification application assumed that it would range from PLN 470 to PLN 550 per megawatt hour, depending on the investment costs. The decision shows that the price will be below PLN 500. This is lower than the price of electricity from offshore, i.e. PLN 512 per megawatt hour. This result of the negotiations with the EC is therefore a success for Polish negotiators, led by the government's plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure, Deputy Minister of Energy Wojciech Wrochna.
– The decision we obtained is really good – says Wojciech Wrochna.
It ensures that the energy from the first Polish nuclear power plant will be competitive. — This decision will allow this power plant to operate with a very high load – it will produce electricity for many hours every day, and as a result, the price of energy will be relatively low. It will be below PLN 500 per megawatt hour – we will build this project in a very competitive model – he says.
— For the first time, the investment in the first Polish nuclear power plant is taking real shape, adds Wojciech Wrochna.
From the perspective of the power plant's efficiency, it is important that it will be able to operate stably, among other things, thanks to the possibility of concluding long-term stock exchange contracts.
The rest of the article is below the video
The European Commission's decision is a milestone for the Lubiatowo-Kopalino nuclear power plant
The Commission's notification confirms that the Polish government's assistance for this investment is consistent with the principles of the EU internal market. This is a milestone in the process of building the first Polish nuclear power plant in Pomerania. It is crucial for financing this project and the price of electricity for consumers. Without this decision, it would also be impossible to sign the contract for the construction of a turnkey power plant (EPC), which is currently being negotiated.
Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka and government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure Wojciech Wrochna, who was responsible for negotiations with the European Commission regarding state aid for the Polish nuclear power plant
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Photo Sławomir Kamiński / Agencja Wyborcza.pl / Agencja Gazeta
The support mechanism presented by the Polish government and accepted by Brussels assumes: recapitalization of the investor – Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe – by the State Treasury. 70 percent financing for this investment is to be provided by loans from export credit agencies (mainly the American Exim Bank) and the Polish and foreign financial sector (approx. PLN 30 billion), while the remaining 30 percent — PLN 60.2 billion – this is money from the Polish budget. The total cost of the power plant is estimated at approximately PLN 192 billion.
On Tuesday, at the government meeting, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that, although the information about the EC's decision sounds “technical”, it will allow the construction “to start in full swing in December”. He said that already in December, i.e this year, the first PLN 4.6 billion in treasury securities will go to PEJ. – This means that construction is starting – concluded the head of government.
At the same time – according to the Polish proposal – the State Treasury is to provide guarantees covering 100 percent. debt financing.
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The European Commission's decision was issued in record time. In the case of our neighbor – the Czech Republic – it took almost two years. The European Commission has been conducting extended proceedings regarding the granting of public aid for the first nuclear power plant in Poland since December 18 last year. Warsaw's notification application in this matter was sent to Brussels in September 2024.
