Polish oil company Orlen to build small nuclear power
Reuters1 day
Poland to Build Europe's First BWRX-300 Nuclear Reactor
Above: The Orlen logo on a street in Warsaw, Poland, on Aug. 25, 2025. Image copyright: Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Optimist narrative
The OSGE will put Poland at the forefront of clean energy innovation in Europe. The BWRX-300 technology it will leverage offers proven safety features and cost-competitive construction that can rapidly replace Poland's aging coal infrastructure. By working together, Orlen and Synthos Green Energy have the resources and backing to make this transition a reality.
Cynical narrative
Despite the hype surrounding Thursday's announcement, SMR technology fundamentally remains too expensive, too risky, and too slow. The estimated costs for these projects continue to rise while construction delays persist. Countries like Poland should instead acknowledge the reality that only renewable energy offers a feasible way to transition from fossil fuels.
Narrative C
Regardless of how practical the proposed construction in Poland is, the government should stop and ask itself whether nuclear energy is really the right solution to its environmental and energy problems. Despite a resurgence in support for nuclear among some, it remains controversial among most populations, with the incidents at Three Mile, Chernobyl and Fukushima remaining powerful reminders of the dangers of nuclear plants. Austria has even accused the EU of 'greenwashing' in its investments of nuclear. Clearly a myriad of issues could face even successful plant construction.
Metaculus Prediction
Editor's Note
This story currently has limited reporting from left and right sources. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our coverage as additional perspectives become available.