ŠKODA JS will modernize the MARIA research reactor in Poland
21. 8. 2025
ŠKODA JS has entered the Polish market for the very first time and aims to participate as a supplier in the construction of new nuclear units in the country.
ŠKODA JS a.s., a member of the ČEZ Group and a leading European company in the field of nuclear energy, has signed its first-ever contract in Poland. For approximately 300 million czech crowns, the company will modernize the MARIA research reactor, which is part of the Polish National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) in Otwock, near Warsaw. The NCBJ is one of the largest scientific institutes in Central Europe, conducting both basic and applied research related to nuclear energy and various fields of subatomic physics.
“This prestigious contract includes a comprehensive overhaul of the research reactor’s control and monitoring system, the supply of ionization and fission chambers, and a new set of drives for control mechanisms. The entire project is scheduled for completion in December 2027,” said Petr Altschul, Commercial Director of ŠKODA JS a.s..
Illustrative photo – Reactor pedestal in the reactor hall in Otwock
ŠKODA JS specialists will prepare complete project documentation for the only Polish reactor so far, namely the research reactor. The Pilsen company is also responsible for the integration of the entire new system, its implementation at the reactor and subsequent commissioning. The delivery also includes training operators to work with the new system. The Pilsen engineering works will also produce a new set of drives, including encapsulated fission and ionization chambers. Together with ŠKODA JS, the company dataPartner from České Budějovice is participating in this contract as a subcontractor of control system components.
“Our first entry into the Polish market is an important reference project for us, especially given the potential business opportunities in the region. Poland is already well advanced in preparing for the construction of new nuclear units, and we would like to be in a supplier position for selected components,” said František Krček, CEO of ŠKODA JS a.s.
Illustrative photo – Existing drives of the reactor’s control mechanisms (Otwock), which will be replaced with new ones manufactured by ŠKODA JS
ŠKODA JS is currently focusing its export activities on several key markets, including Ukraine (after the end of the ongoing war) and Slovakia, where plans for the construction of new nuclear power plants are underway. The company is also supplying equipment to other global manufacturers, such as reactor internals for the Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C nuclear power plants currently under construction in the United Kingdom.
In the Czech Republic, ŠKODA JS aims to succeed as a supplier for the new Dukovany units. In the field of small modular reactors (SMRs), the company recently signed a memorandum of cooperation with Rolls-Royce SMR, aiming not only to contribute to the Czech SMR projects but also to jointly participate in international contracts.
Karel Samec, Spokesperson
karel.samec@skoda-js.cz +420 603 200 076
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