National Atomic Energy Agency

The general opinion of the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency is a response to the application of Orlen Synthos Green Energy Sp. z o.o., which was submitted to the Agency last year. The company's application concerned selected technical assumptions of the BWRX-300 reactor technology with regard to:

• protection of the reactor from internal and external hazards,
• extended design conditions,
• reactor safety containment system,
• safety classification of systems,
• systems, structural and equipment components of the nuclear facility,
• reactor cooling circuit, reactor core, electrical systems, control and measurement devices,
• radiological protection,
• radioactive waste and nuclear fuel management systems.

In its application for a general opinion, the OSGE company asked for an analysis of the solutions contained in the submitted documentation to verify compliance with the safety requirements of the following legal acts:

• Act of 29 November 2000 - Atomic Law,
• Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 31 August 2012 on the scope and method for the performance of safety analyses prior to the submission of an application requesting the issue of a license for the construction of a nuclear facility and the scope of the preliminary safety report for a nuclear facility,
• Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 31 August 2012 on nuclear safety and radiological protection requirements which must be fulfilled by the design of a nuclear facility.

In the opinion issued, the President of the PAA indicates the technical assumptions of the BWRX-300 reactor technology compliant with the national nuclear safety requirements, which stem from the Atomic Law and the aforementioned regulations. At the same time, the President of the Agency notes that the assessment of a part of the submitted documentation in terms of the fulfillment of the detailed requirements will be possible once the investor provides more detailed data.

In the general opinion, the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency also points to one technical assumption of the BWRX-300 reactor technology that must be verified again before the start of the relevant administrative process related to obtaining licenses of the President of the PAA.

The general opinion also indicates the provisions of national law for which the applicant did not submit documentation allowing the assessment.

The general opinion of the President of the PAA is an optional pre-licensing instrument that is a tool for dialogue between the nuclear regulatory authority and the applicant (investor). In the licensing process (obtaining a license, e.g., for the construction of a nuclear facility), obtaining a general opinion of the President of the PAA is not necessary, and the scope of this opinion depends on the applicant.

The general opinion of the President of the PAA is an additional informational tool that shows the applicant whether the assumptions of the nuclear technology indicated by the applicant comply with Polish nuclear safety and radiological protection standards.