OSGE requests for General Opinions to the PAA

OSGE has submitted two requests to the Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) for general opinions regarding the BWRX‑300 technology. The company requested an assessment of the nuclear fuel and the TRACG codes related to the BWRX‑300 reactor safety system developed by GE Vernova Hitachi.

A general opinion issued by the President of the PAA is part of the pre‑licensing process intended to facilitate preparations for submitting the actual construction permit application. The applications submitted today concern the use of GNF2 fuel during the operation of an SMR power plant with a BWRX‑300 reactor and the use of TRACG software to conduct safety analyses for the reactor designed by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

The submitted documentation aims to confirm the compliance of the adopted technological solutions with the nuclear safety and radiation protection requirements under Polish law.

“We are in constant pre-licensing dialogue with the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency. The applications we submit allow us to verify at an early stage that the technological solutions used in the BWRX-300 comply with the Polish regulations. I am convinced that obtaining these general opinions will accelerate OSGE’s preparation of the application for a construction permit and, consequently, streamline the entire licensing process,” says Bartosz Fijałkowski, Member of the Management Board, OSGE.

The primary objective for OSGE is to conduct a preliminary compliance review and assess whether the requirements of selected regulations and the Atomic Energy Act are met. This is intended to verify the technical specifications of the BWRX‑300 technology even before a formal application for a license to construct or operate a nuclear facility is submitted.

The use of GNF2 fuel in the BWRX-300 project is one of the technology’s advantage compared to the competition. GNF2 has been manufactured in Spain, the U.S., and Japan since 2015 and is used in over 80 percent of existing boiling water reactors (BWRs). To date, more than 22,000 GNF2 fuel assemblies have been delivered worldwide.

TRACG is a version of the TRAC (Transient Reactor Analysis Code) codes owned by GE Vernova Hitachi and used for safety analyses. The TRAGC approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) for use in the licensing process for BWR reactors, including those employing passive safety systems.

General opinions are a mechanism provided for in Article 39b of the Atomic Energy Act. Their purpose is to conduct a preliminary assessment of whether the planned organizational and technical solutions meet the requirements for nuclear safety and radiation protection. They may concern selected aspects of a nuclear facility, such as the technical design, safety systems, nuclear fuel, or operational scenarios.

About Orlen Synthos Green Energy
ORLEN Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) was established by ORLEN S.A. and SGE. The company plays a leading role in the deployment of modular nuclear reactors in Poland, aiming to contribute to the effective decarbonisation of the power generation, heating and industrial sectors. OSGE’s mission is to build a fleet of BWRX-300 reactors designed by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, which will become an important part of the country’s energy mix, providing households and industry with stable zero-carbon electricity. OSGE’s project in Poland is part of a broader European fleet deployment led by SGE. For more information, visit X (Twitter) platform @ORLEN_Synthos and LinkedIn.

For more information, contact:

Mariusz Ilnicki
+48 668 48 36 73 
mariusz.ilnicki@osge.com