How has Westinghouse approached working with a country that previously has not had nuclear energy resources?

Westinghouse has a long history of working with countries that are new to nuclear energy, and those with established nuclear industries. Before we opened Shippingport (PA) in 1957, the U.S. did not have a commercial nuclear energy industry. So, Westinghouse was there at the very beginning and one can look at other countries around the world to see that we have been integral to providing the reactor technology or the support services to establish or grow nuclear programs. France is a great example, as is Sweden, to name just two, but there are others. Westinghouse technology is now used in nearly half of the world’s operating nuclear reactors. We have the experience with reactors, but also with fabricating world-class nuclear fuel, operating plant services and environmental, or decommissioning, services.

Because of that breadth of knowledge, it made sense for Poland to choose our AP1000 technology for their first-ever nuclear energy program. We currently have five AP1000 reactors operating in China and the U.S., with a sixth set to enter commercial operation in early 2024 at Vogtle in Georgia. We have six more under construction right now in China and as many as four more selected and moving through various stages of development.

Countries that are developing new nuclear programs will find an easier path, though it’s still not easy, if they choose a proven technology that has been licensed, constructed and is operating in the real-world. The next AP1000 reactor to enter commercial operation will be the 13th of a kind.

We are working closely with our customer in Poland, Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe, on building not only the resource itself, but all the other necessary pieces that go into a successful nuclear program, including licensing and training programs for the workers, procedures, operations. Poland is making excellent progress on standing up its nuclear regulatory agency and institutional infrastructure.

Poland has been a tremendous partner throughout this process as has the U.S. government, which has been extremely supportive from the start.

Besides the clean, safe, reliable electricity from nuclear energy, this program is strengthening the bond we have shared with Poland and will ensure that it continues for another century.

What role will the supply chain play in a successful project in Poland?

The supply chain is absolutely essential to being successful with large nuclear energy projects, and it must be in place as early as possible to ensure there are no schedule issues due to breaks in the chain or missing links.

In the U.S., at the Vogtle project (in Georgia), this was one of the key lessons-learned for the development of the AP1000 reactor. The U.S. hadn’t built a new reactor from scratch in decades before we started at Vogtle, which meant a new supply chain had to be developed, vendors identified and vetted, pretty much everything, for the large components. We had a supply chain for operating plants, which we service, but not for a nuclear steam supply system. Vendors need to establish quality assurance programs, hire and train workers, it was a big lift.

Now, that supply chain is developed for the major components that will be used in future AP1000 reactors. We’ve been through the testing, we’ve been through the qualifications, we’ve been through the delivery process. That’s a great benefit for Poland and other future AP1000 customers.

So now we are beginning to use our experience developing the AP1000 supply chain with vendors in Poland and throughout the region, which is making for a very efficient process. We have signed MOUs with dozens of Polish suppliers to potentially help with mechanical modules, large structural modules and

pipes, pumps and valves. We have a mantra, “buy where we build,” and we think it’s incredibly important.

The other important aspect for a supply chain is to have a 100% complete design of your reactor, which we have with the AP1000 technology. The reactors we deploy in Poland will be the same design as the reactors at Vogtle with minor modifications, such as the cooling system, for instance. The Poland site will be once-through, Vogtle has cooling towers.

Having the benefits of fleet experience on new build reactors, in a country that is new to nuclear energy, will help us be very successful and that is what we want for our customer.