WILMINGTON, N.C. — GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has announced a new workforce training initiative and second preliminary project development agreement as GEH expands its support of Poland’s plans to build commercial nuclear power plants to help strengthen the country’s energy security and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

With Poland proposing to build up to four new reactors at two sites, GEH has donated an additional five of its GateCycle software licenses to the Warsaw University of Technology to help train a new generation of highly skilled engineers to operate the new facilities. In March 2010, GE Energy donated five licenses to the University.

GEH’s customized GateCycle heat balance software is used to model nuclear steam cycles and is a valuable tool in teaching engineering students advanced methods of plant modeling and troubleshooting to optimize plant performance.

While a growing number of countries are competing for experienced engineers and skilled workers to build and operate their new nuclear power plants, GEH’s GateCycle initiative is helping Poland’s universities to develop the country’s long-term, domestic workforce.

“As Poland moves ahead with building its first new nuclear power plants, we are excited our GateCycle software will be used by the Warsaw University of Technology to help give students the training they need to work in Poland’s new plants, underscoring the economic development benefits of nuclear energy,” said Danny Roderick, GEH’s senior vice president of new plant projects.

Today, about 94% of Poland’s electricity comes from domestic coal-fired power plants. Poland plans to build its new reactors to help reduce the country’s dependence on coal-based technologies and overall national emissions levels as European Union member states seek to reduce their emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. Nuclear energy is an attractive option because it generates electricity with near-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

GEH Signs MOU with SNC-Lavalin Polska to Expand Polish Project Supply Chain

GEH also today announced it has signed a preliminary agreement with global engineering services firm SNC-Lavalin Polska to collaborate on new commercial nuclear power plant opportunities in Poland.

This is the second, important memorandum of understanding (MOU) GEH has signed to support Poland’s commercial nuclear construction initiative. In March, GEH and PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA (PGE), Poland’s largest power company, announced an agreement to collaborate on Poland’s plans to build next-generation commercial nuclear power plants.

PGE is leading the country’s initiative to develop the two nuclear power plants.

Under the new MOU, GEH and SNC-Lavalin Polska are continuing their discussions in support of PGE as the utility evaluates the potential of building up to four reactors based on one of two GEH reactor designs: the 1,350-MWe ABWR or the 1,520-MWe ESBWR. The ESBWR is GEH’s newest design that offers the world’s most advanced passive safety systems.

“We are very fortunate to be partnering in Poland with a company of SNC-Lavalin’s reputation, experience and resources required to successfully develop power plant projects in Poland and throughout the world,” Roderick said. “Our university workforce training initiative and new MOU with SNC-Lavalin Polska reflects our commitment to partner with Poland’s business and government sectors and further strengthen GEH’s experienced global supply chain to ensure PGE has the right technology and project resources needed to develop the country’s new nuclear power plants.”