Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, Coordinator of the International Economy and Energy Security Program at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, Poland

— Polish-Russian cooperation is part of global nuclear waste programme

On Sept 1 2009 Director General of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko and Government Commissioner for Nuclear Energy, Deputy Minister of Economy of Poland Hana Trojanowska signed an inter-governmental agreement for the return of spent nuclear fuel from Polish “Eva” and “Maria” research reactors to Russia.

This Polish-Russian cooperation is part of global nuclear waste programme. I’m not sure if we can call it notably launching of a new period of Polish-Russian nuclear cooperation but still as far as I know Polish and Russian specialists are working out potential future cooperation in nuclear energy, but details aren’t announced.

These research reactors have been working for many years. It is one of the places in Poland where professionals can study, gain experience, but of course working on research reactors is a completely different thing then working in a nuclear power plant. Polish nuclear energy programme is in its planning stage and we still have to wait for some more. Polish Ministry of Economy announced a few weeks ago that we are going to have first one and then even three nuclear power plants in 2030. But these are just plans because we will have to wait for some time especially for a country like Poland which actually has no significant experience in nuclear sector. As far as I know Polish NPP construction is going to be based on market conditions and we aren’t closing our doors for any experienced specialist and suppliers. As everyone knows, Russia is one of the most experienced countries in nuclear energy and NPP construction. The procedure is open and based only on polish internal assessments, quality of technology, price of the services and of course these are the main factors that are going to be taken into account by the government so if the Russian side, Russian specialists, Russian companies propose an interesting offer to participate somehow (fully or partially) in Polish nuclear programme, I can’t see any obstacles.

Russia may be interested in it as a business matter. Russian nuclear sector is searching for new markets. As far as I know there is a project of Russian participation in NPP construction in Bulgaria. It is quite natural that nuclear sector tries to set up investment basis at least in the neighbouring countries.  For the Polish side, of course, Russian experience in nuclear energy is important. We also have some experience connected to our abandoned in 1990 after the collapse of the Soviet system nuclear project of NPP in Zharnovets. It was supposed to be based on the Soviet technology. So we already have some experience in cooperation with each other. Besides, the whole NPP construction project is expensive for Poland and capitally intensive. Hence Poland doesn’t have enough technological and financial resources, we are going to search for partners all over the world so I think that Russia is one of the options.