Polish nuclear programme: partnership agreement signed

The partnership agreement signed on 3 September 2014 binds the parties to provide common financing of actions associated with the implementation of the investments scheduled for the next three years, proportionally to the shares held. The partners foresee that the total costs arising from these actions will amount to about PLN 1 billion. PGE capital group remains the leader of the nuclear programme, and the PGE EJ 1 company shall play the function of the power plant operator in the future. The aim of the partnership agreement is also to prepare PGE EJ 1 to its role of the entity to be responsible for the safe and effective exploitation of the nuclear power plant, in terms of organisation and competence.

– For KGHM, participation in the project is the opportunity to enter one of the most attractive sectors, not correlated with the trends on the metal market, and a possibility to secure the stability of supplies and prices of electric energy for the needs of its operating activities. For energy companies it is the method to acquire an alternative, emission free source of electric energy and diversify the generation portfolio. However, the main objective is to provide the possibility for safe supplies of electric energy to Polish companies and households in the future – said Zdzisław Gawlik.

– Nuclear power engineering, the source of stable and safe electric energy, will strengthen the position of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna at a long term, as a leader not only in the generation segment but also as the supplier of energy safety – said Marek Woszczyk, the President of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna.

– The project on construction of the first Polish nuclear power plant is a great opportunity not only for us, the participating companies, but for the whole Polish power industry. At the moment the strategy of ENEA Group stipulates the expenditure for preparation to the implementation, i.e. until the moment the integrated procedure is completed. However, we are all aware that the key element of success will be the rational support of the state, even in the form of mechanisms of the power market – said Krzysztof Zamasz, the President of the ENEA Management Board.

– Our participation in this project is the opportunity for the long-term securing of electric energy supplies for the core operations of KGHM at predictable price and, at the same time, gaining independence against market purchases. Moreover, this project provides for the security against the restrictive targets of the climate and energy policy of the European Union. Furthermore, we are aware that commissioning of a nuclear power plant may be the opportunity for the development of the Polish economy - said Herbert Wirth, the President of KGHM Polska Miedź.

– In several dozen years, several hundred megawatts in the generation portfolio of TAURON Group shall originate from nuclear energy. It results from our corporate strategy assuming the launch of new capacity in the most effective technologies. At the moment we diversify fuels, implementing investments based on coal, gas and RES. The nuclear energy project will allow us, among others, to increase the percentage share of low-emission technologies in the Group. Since the beginning we have been the supporters of implementation of the first nuclear energy project under the current formula, i.e. by involvement of the key Polish entities – said Dariusz Lubera, the President of the Management Board of TAURON Polska Energia.

The prerequisite for purchasing shares in PGE EJ 1 by the national business partners is to obtain the approval of the President of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection for concentration. The application on this case has been submitted on 1 August 2014.

Msp.gov.pl