"Poland has the potential to become a European leader in small modular reactor (SMR) technology," said Polish Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka.

Poland is in the process of thrashing out its 2040 energy policy, with progress delayed by government infighting. There are two scenarios on the table: one where coal almost completely disappears from the energy mix by 2040 and a “business as usual” scenario, where the dirty fuel retains a role.

Polish industrial group Industria has signed a letter of intent with UK-based zero emissions energy and technology developer Chiltern Vital Group to collaborate on the deployment of Rolls-Royce small modular reactors in Poland.

Canadian and Polish nuclear regulators have extended their cooperation under a newly signed memorandum on joint activities in the field of small modular reactors (SMRs)

Japan has many years of experience operating the High-Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR), a 30 MWt prototype graphite-moderated helium gas-cooled reactor, and Poland has been working with Japan for several years on the potential implementation of such technology.

In July last year, Westinghouse announced the launch of front-end engineering and design work - based on AP1000 technology - under a grant from the US Trade and Development Agency to progress the nuclear energy programme in Poland.

Poland's Minister of State Assets and Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin and South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang also signed a memorandum of understanding "to support the nuclear energy project in Patnow and tighten cooperation in the scope of necessary information exchange".

“Working with Canadian entities, such as Laurentis Energy Partners, will allow us to learn from the first planned BWRX-300 deployments in the world, to accelerate project development in Poland.”

European authorities are on high alert for any signs of sabotage on energy infrastructure since the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month.

Poland plans to have nuclear power from about 2033 as part of a diverse energy portfolio, moving it away from heavy dependence on coal.