French delegation evaluates Konin site

Representatives from the French Embassy and state energy utility EDF began a two-day working visit to the Konin region on 5 October 2026. The delegation held consultations with local municipal officials and initiated on-site inspections of water resources across Kazimierz Biskupi and the broader Konin area. Water availability serves as a critical technical metric in determining the site of Poland's second commercial nuclear power plant. EDF confirmed that it will draft two distinct investment proposals covering both Konin and Bełchatów, leaving the final geographical determination entirely to Polish authorities.

Speaking to journalists during a media briefing in Kazimierz Biskupi, the director general of EDF's representative office in Poland outlined the utility's readiness:

“Today I see no obstacles to having a nuclear project in Konin, but we do not have all the data yet.”

Technology bids and cooling infrastructure

Deschaux maintained that EDF's reactor technology is the most efficient among the three proposals currently under review by the Polish administration. He stated that the French designs consume the smallest volume of cooling water and produce the lowest quantity of nuclear waste per megawatt-hour of generated power. EDF also pointed to its industrial track record in the country, noting that more than 80 Polish enterprises have participated in constructing nuclear reactors worldwide under European standards. French nuclear advisor Hugues Hinterlang stated that the bilateral cooperation treaty signed in Nancy in 2025 provides the legal foundation for implementing civil nuclear projects between the two nations.

Local authorities and lawmakers emphasized that the region possesses robust geological and hydrological advantages for a nuclear installation. Member of Parliament Tomasz Nowak stated that studies to date validate Konin as a strong location, with hydrological conditions proving resilient during hot summer periods. Nowak detailed three layers of water protection: an interconnected chain of natural lakes, flooded post-mining excavation pits, and the Warta River supplemented by the Jeziorsko storage reservoir.

Selection schedule for the second plant

The Ministry of Energy formally designated Konin and Bełchatów as the two preferred candidate locations in its updated nuclear energy program. Ministry specialist Jacek Zalewski stated that government officials are actively meeting with competing bidders from France and the United States. These working discussions focus on project financing structures, domestic industrial participation quotas, and technology transfer provisions. Zalewski confirmed that the ministry will compile all technical data and departmental notes before presenting a final recommendation to cabinet ministers.

The government schedule sets the selection of the strategic technology partner and final location for 2027. Initial construction work on the second nuclear facility is planned to begin in 2032, with the commissioning of the first operational reactor unit targeted for 2040.

National nuclear program and first plant timeline

For the first nuclear power installation, the government intends to pour the first structural nuclear concrete in 2028 and achieve commercial power generation by 2036. Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka noted that the selection between Konin and Bełchatów will be decided strictly by technical specialists rather than political considerations. Motyka affirmed that coal-fired generation will gradually decrease in the national energy mix while remaining essential until atomic units join the grid. The updated strategy establishes a national target of 6 to 9 gigawatts of total nuclear capacity, encompassing large-scale reactor blocks alongside future small modular reactors.

Reflecting on the domestic consensus supporting the energy transition, Motyka addressed the political environment surrounding the buildout:

“I am very glad that we have such cross-party agreement in Poland to carry out the implementation of this investment.”