Parliament in Poland clears way for nuclear plant

I don't think we're gonna have to pay a lump sum...

And it's good that not as much coal would be burnt. Poland has 3 cities in the top 10 most polluted in Europe, that's not just cars you know. The air quality in Poland is not so much better than that of China.

It's just these few bigger cities. On average it's not so bad as in China:

Whatever helps reduce coal consumption...

I hope the reactors will be cold fusion, Poland always can buy few nukes from Korea or Israel.

Maybe you missed the part about how they want to start building this as soon as 2019.

Is adopting a 19th-century technology really a progress?

Cold fusion? There's no such thing as a 'cold fusion' power station so you'll be hoping for a long time. Even the idea is still only an idea.

The first nuclear power station wasn't built until the middle of the 20th century.

Nuclear power plants have greatly improved in safety over the years. In my opinion, it's better to have nuclear power stations rather than coal plants. Nuclear power stations don't pollute unless a problem occurs. Coal plants on the other hand constantly pollute. There is a small risk of a disaster with nuclear plants but I think it's worth it.

Poland should also look into replacing coal with natural gas. We've made huge transitions to natural gas here in the USA and we've cut our emissions greatly even though our energy demand is growing exponentially. Hopefully the EU will put pressure on Poland to do so. If they don't, maybe America should...

Actually I was wrong. The electricity in those plant is made with 18th-century technology! STEAM!!
What a progress...

ok then......sad that my first post here is on an unfortunate basis. first question, do you even have the basic understanding as to just why they use steam technology in modern power production facilities to this day? it sounds like the answer is no.

Well you are preparing to educate me, aren't you...

TheStranger
first and formost...remember that power generation plants, wherever they might be on this planet, only use their fuels to make heat. why do they want heat? to produce steam. steam is an extremely efficient way to run turbine equipped systems in order to run machinery needed to power the next pieces of the puzzle that produce electricity. now, back to, how do we make heat, what do we burn? that is the important factor. remember to think before you do. what is the best and most efficient method of producing heat for any given situation. I can unfortunately attest to the fact that coal would certainly not be one of them. as a WORLD everyone needs to remember what is the the cleanest and most economicly viable choise for their end result.

Oh thank you very much jimmysteam! I really didn't know, that we need steam to produce electricity. I didn't even know, that we simply transform one sort of energy into another.

Before that I was thinking (about nuclear energy f.e.): hm, you simply stick wires to uran and than you have electricity! Oh, how stupid I was! :-)

But thank you very much indeed, jimmysteam! Now I know how the world is turning!
And yes, it's a very efficient. You need billions of Euros or Dollars to build a nuclear powerplant - but you know it's for a good cause: because it's clean! Fukushima told us that! :-)

Thank you very much jimmysteam.

Oh, I forgot to mention, that what ever you take from the earth (oil, coal, uran) - it exists in unbelievable amounts on this planet.

According to this link it doesn't grow:
google.de/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=eg_use_pcap_kg_oe&hl=en&dl=en&idim=country:USA:GBR:CAN

As always you have a prime understanding about Poland, not hindered by any real knowledge about this country...


Perhaps it should be a sarmatian project?


Perhaps you could share this information...where in the world cold-fission reactors are operating? In your warped Jedwabne mind that must be in Israel for sure.

As population increases and more areas in the US become industrialized, the demand is going to grow.

The use of energy has curbed because of our energy policy. We've become far more energy efficient over the last few decades. In fact, no other industrialized nation has made the progress we have in becoming more energy efficient. That's not going to last though unless we continue making drastic changes.

Just look at California. Half of the cars you see on the street are Prius cars or some other green car!

You're right on that. I didn't know that USA is growing so fast.

And I grew up in the area down wind of one of the first ones built.
We were used as guinea pigs.
The cancer rate and birth defects increased to much higher there than other nearby counties.
The plant is now dismantled with it's expended fuel rods to be stored for the next 250,000 years.
It's a two edged sword when you hear how enviromentally clean nuclear power is.
No doubt there has been improvements made in the last 60 years but don't forget what happened
at Chernobyl or Fukashima.

And I grew up in one of Europe's largest coalfields, the English midlands. Permanent result - weakened lungs.

The choice is a non-brainer and you know it, and so do the Katowice coal barons. When president Dougpol is elected they will all be working in Tescos where they can't do any more harm.

Great, less coal burning.

Coal energy should be avoided as much as possible.

It is cheap but will make a terrible future for our kids. I cannot imagine how someone can be so sadic to support this kind of pollution.

Yes - coal smoke is very dirty; even if it's anthacite and with modified chimneys. What you say about lungs is true it's the same for me but a different coalfield. In my case South Yorkshire.

I remember when I was living in Poznań a few years ago there was something so familiar (right in the centre where I lived by the Stary Rynek) that took me right back to the past. I couldn't put my finger on it at first then suddenly it clicked. It was the smell of coal smoke in the air. A killer and takes years off people's lives. Poland's life expectancy in part reflects this. That and the preserved pork products.

Ah, yes as that is what we heated our house with when I was a kid.
You never forget that smell.
The good points for Poland to build a nuclear energy plant is that it would increase it's independence from Russia.
It would also give Poland an economic boost for the growing demand of electricity.
Also the green house emissions from coal is a nasty.


I think SUGAR plays a much bigger variable in life expectancy then perservatives in food.
Soda pop is a killer.
There are many countries that would be interested in partnering with Poland to build one.

Poland is being forced to clean up their act by their neighbors with court action.
The European Commission joined Czechia in the suit at the Court of Justice of the European Union against Poland in the case concerning power group PGE's Turow mine.

The operator of the mine, claimed that its closure could lead to the collapse of the national power system.
The Court ordered Poland to immediately stop lignite mining in the Turów mine last Friday.
"We have never received any clear written guarantees from Poland on how to compensate for the fundamental negative effects this has on Czech citizens."
The Czech government does not want to harm Poland, but defends the interests of Czech citizens.
According to Czechia, the mining endangers the water quality in its border regions.
Germany is making the same claims against Poland.
And that doesn't even include Poland's coal burning pollution.
Time for Poland to take some responsibility for the health of both Poland's citizens and their neighbors and get that damn nuclear power plant up and running.

This is 2021 not 1949.

Yes, exactly. But most Poles are suspicious about such plans - they still remember the accident in Czernobyl plant which resulted in polluting half Europe.

That was a long time ago and using old Soviet technology.
Nuclear has moved on since then.
This is one of those very rare occasions when I agree with Jim :-)

Yes, but you know how conservative and stubborn Poles can be.:)

That is why whatever location they will propose for the nuclear plant, the local and national resistance will be huge.

I do indeed..... so that will require some kind of re education programme.Which will probably take some time......

Yes, but there is none in Polish schools right now.

However, Germany has chosen another option. They prefer to give up fossil and nuclear energy and depend solely on renewable sources within the next 20-30 years. Why can`t Poland follow their example?

I am no expert, but I find it hard to believe that will work efficiently.
So, Poland continues to burn coal then?

Unfortunately, yes. Coz it is the cheapest of all. And so traditional! When ancient traditions are involved, people ignore health risks