Permit Application Filed
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) has applied to the head of the Pomeranian Voivodeship for a permit to carry out early works at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site, where Poland's first nuclear power plant is planned. The three-unit facility will use Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology.
The early works category was established in Polish law by the Act of 3 July 2026, which amended legislation governing the preparation and execution of nuclear power facility investment projects. The amendment allows specified construction activities to proceed before the main nuclear licences are granted, with the stated aim of streamlining project delivery.
Scope of Early Works
The permit covers infrastructure that the National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) has classified as non-safety-related, meaning it can be built ahead of the licences required for the plant's primary facilities. Key elements include the onshore section of the circulating water system — comprising intake and discharge pipelines for reactor cooling — which will be installed beneath the Baltic Sea beach and seabed using a trenchless method.
Additional scope includes a retention basin for rainwater and meltwater collection, internal access roads, and launch pits for a tunnel boring machine. None of these elements fall under the PAA's safety-related classification, providing the regulatory basis for their early execution.
Site Preparation and Contractor Activity
General contractor Bechtel has taken over management of the Lubiatowo-Kopalino project site as earthworks are under way. Bechtel is responsible for execution and supervision of site preparation activities, coordination with investment subcontractors, and on-site safety. The company is also conducting detailed onshore and offshore geological surveys in parallel.
PEJ previously obtained a preparatory works permit in August 2024, covering surveying and 
site fencing across approximately 300 hectares. The second phase of those preparatory works — focused on construction-site infrastructure — is currently in progress.
Supply Chain and Programme Milestones
Westinghouse recently placed conditional purchase orders for safety-related modules with four Polish companies, following a commission to begin procuring long-lead items for the first unit. The orders represent early supply-chain engagement with domestic industry.
Under the current programme schedule, main construction at Lubiatowo-Kopalino is set to begin in 2028. The first unit is targeted for commercial operation in 2036, with the plant expected to reach full capacity by 2038 — three years later than previously planned. PEJ is also preparing to submit a construction permit application in 2027.
