WEiA expert: "We are not in danger of another Fukushima" | Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering at the Gdańsk University of Technology

An expert of the Gdańsk University of Technology in the field of nuclear energy, however, convinces and reassures that the reactors that would be installed in a power plant in Pomerania are the highest world class in terms of safety technology.

The first nuclear power plant in Poland, pursuant to the resolution of the Council of Ministers of November 2, 2022, will be built in Pomerania. Such an investment, even for about 100 years, can guarantee thousands of jobs, as well as stability and energy security, but the plans for its construction have always raised concerns - most often among local residents indicated as suitable for such an investment.

Are they legitimate? Are we really in danger of a repeat of Chernobyl or Fukushima?

A stable source of energy

The American company Westinghouse will be responsible for the construction, and the power plants will power the AP 1000 reactors. The investment will start in 2026, and the first unit will be built by 2033. The rationality of the construction of this type of power plant is convinced by the plenipotentiary of the Rector of Gdańsk University of Technology for nuclear energy - Ph.D. Eng. Marcin Jaskólski.

- The European Union is currently pursuing a long-term policy of decarbonisation and climate neutrality. At the same time, we are faced with limited access to fossil fuels due to armed conflicts or the depletion of these resources. This means that we have a choice of renewable energy sources and nuclear energy - explains Ph.D. Eng. Marcin Jaskólski, Plenipotentiary of the Rector of GUT for nuclear energy. - It is difficult to imagine now that we will base our power system solely on solar or wind power plants dependent on weather conditions. In the future, the electricity needs will be greater than the present ones, which will entail the need to install new sources - he adds.

The first nuclear power plant in Poland will be built near Lubiatów and Kopalin in the Choczewo commune. Coastal locations are often chosen for the construction of nuclear power plants due to the availability of a large body of water. Water is indispensable for cooling the condensers of steam turbines, which are part of the power plant.

Advanced security technology

The construction of a nuclear power plant in Pomerania has been controversial for years. The failures of this type of plants, known from history, such as those in the Japanese Fukushima or Chernobyl, stimulate the imagination, arousing fear of the construction of such a structure in our region. The GUT expert emphasizes, however, that since the failure in Fukushima, security technologies have significantly improved.

- Fukushima has reactors from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, belonging to the second generation of reactors. Currently, there is generation III +, which includes, among others AP 1000 reactor. It is characterized by a greater use of passive cooling elements (hence its name AP, or advanced passive), ie the use of natural phenomena to become independent of the electrical power that must be supplied to maintain the safe operation of the reactor - explains Ph.D. Eng. Jaskólski. - From this point of view, the AP 1000 technology is the most advanced and the best protection against the effects of such failures, such as in Fukushima - he adds.

Development of the region for years

The construction of a nuclear power plant is associated with a huge demand for employees from various fields. This is a development opportunity for the region, but also for the Gdańsk University of Technology. The university will soon open specializations tailored to the future needs of the nuclear energy market. In addition, a nuclear power center will be built at PG, thanks to which investors and contractors will be able to use the knowledge and competences of university scientists.

The life cycle of a nuclear power plant can be divided into several stages - preparation for construction and the construction itself, followed by long-term operation of the facility and at the end of its decommissioning.

- The whole cycle will last over a hundred years. These are jobs for generations of technicians, engineers and representatives of other professions. Nuclear energy is a very multidisciplinary field where we have nuclear chemists and physicists, mechanics, electricians and material scientists. We must have ready human resources in the form of educators, preparing staff, as well as students who will be educated in various branches of technology that will be needed - comments Ph.D. Eng. Marcin Jaskólski.