US engineering and construction firm Bechtel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two affiliates of Japan's Toshiba to collaborate on the delivery of steam turbines and generators for Poland's first nuclear power plant.

The MoU was signed by (from left to right): Yuki Arima, business unit manager, Power Systems Division of TAES; Kentaro Takagi, president and CEO of TESS; and Ahmet Tokpinar, general manager of Bechtel's Nuclear Power business line (Image: Toshiba)

Under the agreement, Bechtel, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions (TESS) and Toshiba America Energy Systems (TAES) will collaborate on the supply of steam turbines and generators for the project. In the future, the three companies will conduct concrete studies on the supply of equipment.

Toshiba is the latest company to join the group of US and Polish companies organising a team led by Bechtel and Westinghouse.

In July last year, Westinghouse Electric Company announced the launch of front-end engineering and design (FEED) work under a grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency "to progress" the nuclear energy programme in Poland. Westinghouse said the FEED was one of the key elements in the implementation of the Intergovernmental Agreement between Poland and the USA regarding cooperation to develop a civil nuclear power programme.

Westinghouse is executing the FEED - which will be based on AP1000 technology - together with Bechtel. The FEED study will be reviewed later this year by the Polish government to help in its selection of the best partner for the nuclear power plant programme.

The diplomatic notes Poland and the USA exchanged in 2020 on cooperation in the development of Poland's civil nuclear power programme officially entered into force in March 2021. This means the USA has 18 months from that date to prepare both a technology and a financing offer to build nuclear power plants in Poland.

In January, Westinghouse signed MoUs with ten Polish companies for cooperation on the potential deployment of AP1000 nuclear power plants in Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe. The MoUs include cooperation on the possible construction of six AP1000 plants for the Polish nuclear power plant programme.

Bechtel announced in April that it had signed MoUs with 12 Polish companies for the potential development of two new nuclear power plants in Poland.

"Any new nuclear plant requires expertise from proven companies with the required certifications," said Bechtel's Ahmet Tokpinar. "Toshiba has supplied steam turbines, generators, and services to power plants of all types for nearly 100 years. This is a team with proven manufacturing capabilities and a record of excellent service."

"We are honoured to be partnering with Bechtel as this exciting opportunity develops to support Poland's new nuclear power plant pursuits," said TAES's Kentaro Takagi.

TESS's Yuki Arima added: "As demand for low-carbon and stable energy sources increases, Toshiba has been working closely with our clients and partners to successfully deliver safe and reliable nuclear power solutions that make a positive impact across the world."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News