The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report is a comprehensive analysis required by Poland's nuclear regulatory body, National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA), as part of the investor's application for a construction permit. The report aims to demonstrate the safety of the planned construction in Poland of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs). Orlen Synthos Green Energy said the development of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report is "one of the most important and laborious elements of the licensing process for a nuclear power facility".
The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report presents both general design aspects and a detailed description of the systems and elements of the proposed reactor's construction and equipment. It will contain descriptions of the construction preparation and management system, environmental and local conditions, a description covering the period of operation of the power plant, including nuclear fuel management, and finally a description of the process of decommissioning the facility after its operation is completed. A significant component of the report is the safety analyses of the nuclear facility.
In implementing the report for Orlen Synthos Green Energy, Laurentis - a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) - will be responsible for preparing the scope of work related to environmental conditions, terrain characteristics, facility operation, construction, commissioning and future decommissioning of the power plant.
Laurentis and Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) signed a Framework Agreement in 2022 for the provision of services supporting the development and implementation of SMRs in Poland. Laurentis is already supporting OSGE in the early planning of the SMR implementation project.
OSGE will also be supported in the preparation of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. GEH, as the BWRX-300 technology designer, will be responsible for the technological and safety analyses. The company played a significant role in the preparation of a similar report in Canada for a project implemented by OPG, for which the PSAR analysis was delivered to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in 2022.
OSGE, as the future owner and operator of the plant, will be responsible for preparing input data for analysis, as well as for coordinating and supervising the ongoing work. The work is planned for almost two years, with the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) being ready in mid-2026.
"PSAR is one of the key elements of the whole licensing process for a nuclear power plant," said OSGE CEO Rafał Kasprów. "By having such experienced partners involved in the project, we are confident that OSGE will deliver to the Polish nuclear authority a comprehensive report that meets all requirements of the Polish law. We are launching work on the first PSAR related to small modular reactors in the EU. This is a significant milestone in the SMR deployment process, and I believe it paves the way for bolder actions in other European countries, as well."
"Laurentis is excited to work with OSGE to take the next steps to establish the feasibility of small modular reactor deployment in Poland," said Laurentis President and CEO Jason Van Wart. "As a company with experience and expertise in new nuclear services from conception to execution, including regulatory support, we are uniquely positioned to help OSGE progress its project to enable Poland to achieve its clean energy ambitions."
"International collaboration will be crucial to the successful execution of new nuclear projects, so we are excited to work together with OSGE and Laurentis Energy Partners on this licensing requirement for deployment of our SMR technology in Poland," said Sean Sexstone, executive vice president, Advanced Nuclear, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.
OSGE plans to build a fleet of GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. In May 2023, the company received a positive general opinion from the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency regarding selected technical assumptions for the BWRX-300 reactor technology. This is an element of the pre-licensing process. In December, the Ministry of Climate and Environment issued decisions in principle for the implementation of the investment in six locations: Stawy Monowskie, Włocławek, Ostrołęka, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Kraków-Nowa Huta and Stalowa Wola-Tarnobrzeg. In February 2024, the General Director for Environmental Protection issued a decision defining the scope of the environmental report for the construction of a SMR in Stawy Monowskie in the Małopolska province. This is the first such decision in the European Union.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design, a unique combination that GEH says positions it to deliver an "innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source" this decade.
