Poland is building its first nuclear power plant. It may learn from other people's mistakes

The nuclear train in Poland has finally started moving. After decades of planning, interruptions and political turmoil, Poland has entered the real phase of implementing its nuclear energy program – there is a location for the first nuclear power plant, which is to be built in Pomerania, in the Choczewo commune. The contractors have been selected, a consortium of American companies Westinghouse and Bechtel.

However, the success of the project, which is estimated at 45 billion euros (approx. 192 billion PLN), requires many more components. Including appropriately early management and planning. We are dealing with the largest infrastructure project in the history of independent Poland.

Building a Nuclear Power Plant: Many Challenges at the Same Time

As Terry Maxey, Managing Director of Accenture, said during the European Economic Congress , the project to build the first Polish nuclear power plant is at a very early stage of implementation, which in itself involves a lot of challenges.

- The biggest is the fact that many things are happening at the same time, and most of them are completely new processes. This is the first such power plant in Poland, so a new regulatory environment is being created. Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is also a new company responsible for the investment. It is only building its capacity and skills, while working intensively on the documentation necessary to obtain a building permit. The most difficult challenge is not so much one specific challenge, but the coordination of all these activities at the same time - said Terry Maxey, Managing Director at Accenture.

Poland will not be alone in its first nuclear project

This company has been active in the nuclear energy sector for years, cooperating on nuclear projects in various countries. And, as Terry Maxey says, the entire nuclear industry has a very open culture of cooperation and sharing experience. Knowledge gained in one country is passed on – this is a huge value to this industry.

Poland will not be alone – it can count on broad support from experts from around the world – emphasizes the Managing Director of Accenture.

As he points out, the construction of the AP1000 reactor in Poland, although it is the first nuclear project on the Vistula, is a technology that has already been tested in other countries. There are already six such units in operation in the world, and recently in the US, Southern Company completed the construction of two units using this technology. And just like in Poland, Westinghouse was the technology supplier there, and Bechtel the contractor. Similarly, Accenture was heavily involved in the project.

- The conclusions from these recently "learned" lessons will certainly be implemented in Poland - said Terry Maxey.