Repowering a coal-fired power plant according to the Coal-to-Nuclear pathway - analysis of nuclear unit development from the perspective of cooling water availability

Changes in energy fuel markets, the rise of renewables and the aging of existing coal-fired units are leading to increased popularization of research on potential pathways for restructuring power systems. One proposed concept is the Coal-to-Nuclear path, which involves the partial use of existing coal-fired power plant infrastructure in favor of the construction of nuclear units, which can reduce investment costs. An additional benefit is the ability to manage the workforce competencies identified within the coal-fired power unit, and which are also required for the effective operation of the nuclear unit. The article considers the possibility of repowering the Kozienice power plant in Poland from the perspective of the availability of water used to cool the power units. Three different nuclear reactor technologies that are potentially being considered for the construction of the first nuclear units in Poland were analyzed. The study showed that the lowest water flows in the Vistula river recorded in 2022, equal to 146 m3 /s, make it impossible to simultaneously cool the nuclear units and ensure sufficiently low water temperatures from an environmental perspective. Nuclear units were shown to require about 1.55−1.67 times more water for cooling than typical coal-fired units.

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[1] The paper was created as a result of the project: "Plan of decarbonisation of the domestic power industry through modernization with the use of nuclear reactors", financed by the National Center for Research and Development under the Program "Social and economic development of Poland in conditions of globalizing markets" GOSPOSTRATEG (Contract No.: Gospostrateg VI/0032/2021-00 dated 15.03.2022).

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[2] Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr POPUL/SP/0154/2024/02 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki II" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki (2025).