SGE and ZE PAK Form Joint Venture for Six-Unit SMR Plant in Poland
SGE (formerly Sythos Green Energy) and ZE PAK have formed a joint venture to construct a six-unit small modular reactor (SMR) plant in Pątnów, Poland. The proposed plant will utilize six BWRX-300 SMRs, providing a total capacity of 1,800 MWe. This initiative is part of a broader plan for Poland, where a decision in principle has already been issued for 26 BWRX-300 SMRs.
The project involves repurposing an existing coal plant site owned by ZE PAK. ZE PAK's initial contribution to the joint venture will be the rights to the land. The company retains the option to remain a minority shareholder in the future or to sell its shares to SGE, thereby concluding its involvement in the project.
Michał Sołowow, founder of SGE, emphasized the strategic importance of the Pątnów location within Poland's energy system. He noted that the existing coal-fired power plant is slated for shutdown, and the SMR project will provide a reliable replacement to prevent grid disruptions. Sołowow stated that transitioning from coal to nuclear power with SMR technology will modernize Poland's energy infrastructure.
Piotr Żak, President of ZE PAK, highlighted the economic opportunities for the Konin area and its residents. He described the construction of a nuclear power plant on the former coal operations site as a model for Poland’s energy transition. Żak underscored the need for reliable, domestic electricity sources in Poland, which the six SMR reactors at the ZE PAK site are intended to provide.
ZE PAK also indicated that while large-scale nuclear reactor construction is typically a state-owned enterprise, SMR technology can be developed by private entities like SGE. SGE is a co-investor in the standard design of GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300.
BWRX-300 Deployment
The BWRX-300 reactor is currently under construction in Canada. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for the first BWRX-300 reactor at the Clinch River site in Tennessee. Additionally, the SMR has been selected for projects by SaskPower in Canada, Blue Energy in the USA, and Studsvik in Sweden.