BWRX-300 modular reactor design complies with Polish nuclear standards

Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency has issued its first positive opinion on the design of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor. According to the agency, the planned reactor broadly meets national nuclear safety requirements. A positive assessment as part of the pre-licensing process is key to the project’s further progress. GE Hitachi’s modular reactors are planned to be built in Poland by Orlen Synthos Green Energy, which aims to bring the first one online as early as 2029.

Polish company ORLEN Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) announced that it had received a positive general opinion on the BWRX-300 modular reactor from Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency (Państwowa Agencja Atomistyki, PAA). The opinion, issued as part of the pre-licensing process, assesses whether the planned organisational and technical solutions meet nuclear safety and radiation protection requirements.

Orlen Synthos Green Energy, a joint venture between Synthos Green Energy (SGE) and PKN Orlen, submitted an application for an assessment of GE Hitachi’s (GEH) BWRX-300 in July 2022.

“The general opinion is an important first step in the licensing work required to build GE Hitachi’s modular nuclear power plants in Poland. The project will take into account all the regulatory requirements and technical standards mandated by Polish law. Good and open cooperation with the PAA is one of the key factors determining the success of our project. We would therefore like to thank the entire PAA team for its substantive and professional approach during the cooperation required to issue the general opinion,” said Rafał Kasprów, CEO of OSGE.

The PAA analysed a total of thirteen areas of BWRX-300 technology for which it had received documentation. It focused on hazard identification, protection of the reactor against internal and external hazards, and requirements for the reactor control room.

Other areas examined included containment safety systems and the classification of safety systems, the reactor core, design requirements and electrical systems. The PAA also examined solutions for control and instrumentation, and systems for managing waste and nuclear fuel.

Under a memorandum signed in February this year, the Polish agency is working with Canada’s CNSC (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) to assess the BWRX-300. In March this year, Canada issued a positive opinion on GE Hitachi’s modular reactor.

First SMR operational in 6 years?

GE Hitachi, BWXT Canada and SGE signed an agreement in December 2021 on their intention to cooperate on deploying BWRX-300 SMRs in Poland. SGE aims to deploy the first BWRX-300 in 2029 and have at least 10 reactors operating in the early 2030s. OSGE has provisionally selected six sites where BWRX-300 reactors could be built and submitted an application for a preliminary decision to the Ministry of the Environment.

“The BWRX-300 is the first SMR technology to receive a general opinion through the PAA’s rigorous pre-licensing process. This is an important step towards deploying this technology. OSGE and GEH will continue their dialogue with the PAA to assess local requirements and look forward to the next steps in the regulatory process,” said Sean Sexstone, executive vice president of GE Hitachi.