Canada and Poland just inked a deal to team up on nuclear energy! Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent trip to Warsaw wrapped up with the signing of an agreement to cooperate on peaceful uses of nuclear power.

It’s all about boosting innovation and making sure both countries have secure energy supplies, according to Trudeau. He emphasized how this deal will benefit Canadian businesses and create jobs, while also pooling Polish and Canadian know-how in the nuclear sector. It’s a big step towards a more secure future, he added, alongside one of Canada’s closest allies.

Trudeau also pointed out that this agreement fits in nicely with other efforts to strengthen the relationship between the two countries, like the recently signed General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA). When that goes live, it’ll mean better information sharing and more business opportunities in areas like defense, security, aerospace, marine, and nuclear.

This new nuclear agreement, Trudeau explained, will really deepen ties between the Canadian and Polish energy sectors. Canadian companies will be able to use their nuclear expertise to help Poland transition to cleaner energy and boost energy security for the whole region. 

use’s AP1000 reactor for its first nuclear power plant? Well, things are moving forward. Westinghouse, along with Bechtel and a Polish state-owned company called Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), signed an agreement in May 2023 outlining how the plant will be delivered. And Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment gave PEJ the thumbs-up in July to build the plant. They’re aiming to have the first AP1000 reactor up and running by 2033.

Here’s a fun fact: Cameco, one of the world’s biggest nuclear fuel providers, actually bought Westinghouse in 2023. Cameco is a Canadian company, partnered with Brookfield Asset Management and some other investors.

And get this – in December, PEJ announced they received a letter of intent from Export Development Canada for up to CAD 2.02 billion to potentially support the project. Export Development Canada is a Canadian Crown corporation, and this letter of intent is all about supporting Canadian suppliers who want to be involved in Poland’s nuclear project.