EDF And Respect Energy To Cooperate On SMR Projects In Poland

The French utility EDF (ENS Corporate Member) and the Polish renewable energy trader Respect Energy signed an Exclusive Cooperation Agreement for the development of nuclear power projects in Poland based on NUWARD™ SMR technology.

The agreement has been signed last week, during a dedicated event organised at the French Embassy in Poland.

Respect Energy is proud to be a part of the SMR development projects in Poland. Teaming up with EDF – world’s largest nuclear operator – will allow us to both support the energy transition in Poland as well as contribute to meet demands of safe and carbon-neutral electricity.

Sebastian Jabłoński, Chairman of Respect Energy said.

The two companies will now jointly start the evaluation process of specific new greenfield sites and continue to work on detailing the business and financing plans for this endeavour.

Read the EDF Press Release.

The NUWARD™ consortium, led by EDF, brings together the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Framatome (both ENS Corporate Members) TechnicAtome, and Naval Group.

Its design will consist of a 340 MWe pressurized water SMR plant with two reactors of 170 MWe each. It will be based on first-class French nuclear pressurized water reactor technologies.

The NUWARD will be a multi-purpose plant, with a design that can be adapted for several uses including green hydrogen production, desalinisation and heat cogeneration.

The project is currently in the conceptual design phase, which focuses on choosing the major technical features while delivering real competitive advantages.

Tractebel (ENS Corporate Member) was contracted in May last year to conduct studies for the completion of the conceptual design of “the first SMR in the European Union”.

The next phase of the project, the basic design completion, is expected to start this year and be completed by 2025. The design should be in the “advanced concept phase” between 2025 and 2030, during which time Nuward is expected to be certified and the supply chain developed.

Construction of a demonstration NUWARD SMR is expected to start in 2030. The construction of that unit is anticipated to take three years.