Polish-led working group wants to support construction of BWRX-300 reactor in Europe

A group of 18 European companies, led by Poland’s Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE), has submitted an application to the European Industrial Alliance for Small Modular Reactors. The application calls for the creation of a working group focused on implementing GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 technology.

The application to establish a working group was prepared by OSGE in cooperation with GE Hitachi and 16 alliance members from 10 EU member states and Norway. All partners are interested in participating in the development of European BWRX-300 projects at various stages. “The individual members have many years of experience in the energy market, operating as developers, energy companies, design and engineering firms, and have the expertise to build the necessary supply chain,” OSGE said.

Working group objectives

The working group aims to coordinate members of the European Industrial Alliance for SMRs across different EU member states and accelerate the construction of BWRX-300 reactors. Its specific objectives cover a wide range of topics, particularly standardizing the technology licensing process in EU countries, maximizing EU suppliers’ participation in a shared, robust European supply chain, preparing for nuclear fuel production, developing the necessary expertise and ensuring workforce training, and establishing an appropriate support system for this type of investment.

European Commission support

In response to calls from the nuclear industry, the research community and national nuclear regulators, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson announced last November that the European Commission would establish an Industrial Alliance focused on SMRs. It was set up in February this year to facilitate and accelerate the development, trial operation and deployment of the technology in the EU at the beginning of the 2030s. Its activities aim to support specific SMR projects and accelerate their deployment on the European market.

OSGE plans to build a series of GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. In May 2023, the company received a positive general opinion from the president of the National Atomic Energy Agency on selected technical specifications of the BWRX-300 reactor technology, as part of the pre-licensing process. In December, the Ministry of Climate and Environment issued a decision on the intention to carry out investments at six sites: Stawy Monowskie, Włocławek, Ostrołęka, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Kraków-Nowa Huta and Stalowa Wola-Tarnobrzeg.

In February 2024, a decision was issued specifying the scope of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for SMR construction at the Stawy Monowskie site in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. This is the first such decision in the European Union.

BWRX-300 technology

The BWRX-300 is a small modular water-cooled reactor (SMR) with an output of 300 MWe, developed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. It is based on the licensed ESBWR boiling water reactor and uses the proven GNF2 fuel design. The reactor is equipped with passive safety systems that ensure a high level of safety without the need for external intervention in an emergency.

“The BWRX-300 not only has the potential to become the first SMR built in the EU, but also creates opportunities for European companies to play a significant role in its construction, including manufacturing key components within the EU,” said Rafał Kasprów, CEO of OSGE. “The working group of 18 companies that has been established confirms the strong interest in BWRX-300 technology among European entities.”