“Environmental studies for large-scale nuclear power plants and SMRs in Poland ˗ similarities, differences and challenges”. – this is what Anita Kuliś will be talking about during the REMEDy conference, to which you are invited on behalf of herself and the organiser. REMEDy is a prestigious event dedicated to site remediation and related water and soil research. It is worth reserving your time!

The REMEDy 2023 conference will take place on 27 September. It is worth attending because the topics and speakers are worthy (see our other article for more), but above all…. FIRST and foremost because Anita!

Anita Kuliś of Sotis Advisors will give a presentation: Environmental studies for large-scale nuclear power plants and SMRs in Poland ˗ similarities, differences and challenges. What will she be talking about?

For those who don’t have time:
Anita will, among other things, outline the key challenges for large and small nuclear power projects, discuss issues related to the delimitation of necessary environmental studies, and touch on the interdependence of siting and environmental studies.

For those who like to read a lot:

Environmental data for nuclear power projects are collected for two different administrative processes: the environmental impact assessment, resulting in an environmental conditions decision, and the site analysis, resulting in a location decision. The information needed for these two procedures differs in the degree of data detail and, above all, in the purpose. In simple terms, the EIA stage analyses the impact of the investment on the various elements of the environment, while the location stage analyses the impact of environmental conditions on the possibility of locating a NPP project at a given site.
The environmental decision is needed in order to apply for a location decision. These two different views determine the scope of the spatial and substantive analyses required for both processes. Paradoxically, it is possible to obtain an environmental decision for a location that is later ruled out because of a ‘fundamental flaw’. In order to ensure that the investor does not waste time or money, it is extremely important to create a timetable of studies and a preliminary verification of the environmental conditions in which the NPP is planned to be located. At this stage, it does not matter whether the project is for a NPP or an SMR.
In Poland, we are currently at a very advanced stage of the environmental impact assessment process for the first Polish nuclear power plant planned to be located in Pomerania. It will undoubtedly be a benchmark for other large reactor projects. Hopefully, the lessons learned from this stage will allow better and faster preparation of documentation for similar investments. It is momentarily unclear how the authorities will approach smaller power plants with SMRs, especially as we are talking about projects ranging from 1MW to 300 MW (BWRX), or even around 500 MW (Rolls Royce), in different technologies and scales. Meanwhile, neither Polish nor foreign regulations, including those of the International Atomic Energy Agency, make an explicit distinction between large and small reactors and impose the same requirements on them. The IAEA confines itself to the view that these analyses should be adequate to the scale of the possible threat. And the threat is primarily related to the possible escape of radionuclides into the environment.
The presentation will provide background information on nuclear power and SMRs, outline the key challenges for large and small NPP projects, discuss issues related to the delimitation of necessary environmental studies, and address the interdependence of siting and environmental studies.

Registration on the organiser’s website.