US Energy Sec Emphasizes Nuclear Power in Poland

On a visit to Poland this week, the US secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, launched the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation, emphasizing the development of nuclear power as a way for Poland and others in Central & Eastern Europe to achieve their carbon reduction targets. Granholm said that within the region development of such low-carbon technologies could be worth up to USD 23 trillion, creating new industries, jobs and attracting huge investments.

Her visit follows up on a 30-year deal signed last October between Washington and Warsaw to develop nuclear power in Poland. According to plan, the country’s first plant is scheduled to go online in 2033, with the US vying for contracts to participate in its construction as well as part of an overall development of 6-9 GW of nuclear capacity to be built in Poland by 2043. Such projects could involve reactor technology from American company Westinghouse.

Calling nuclear “clean baseload power,” secretary Granholm said that among other technologies nuclear power was too reliable and safe for countries like Poland to ignore.