World’s First Regional Clean Energy Training Center
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the world’s first regional Clean Energy Training Center in Warsaw to help start Poland’s domestic nuclear energy program. The center will serve Poland and broader Central European region as a training hub for countries considering new or expanded nuclear reactor deployment.
The first training session was launched at Warsaw Technical University in cooperation with the Poland Ministry of Climate and Environment and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. DOE experts, lab personnel and industry will engage through the center to provide training, technical expertise and capacity to support Poland and other Central European countries as they move forward with building sustainable nuclear power programs.
The center is a key piece to the puzzle for Poland, which hopes to begin building three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors as early as 2030 to shift away from coal-fired power plants and strengthen energy security in the region. Last year Poland joined the U.S. and more than 20 other countries at COP28 in pledging to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
“This center symbolizes a commitment between the United States and Poland that extends far beyond a commercial relationship,” said Dr. Michael Goff, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. “Nuclear energy is an important element of Poland’s energy transition. The implementation of the largest investment in the history of the Polish power system together with our U.S. partners is an expression of the Polish-American strategic alliance” said Miłosz Motyka, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Climate and Environment.
DOE has already announced plans to launch regional Clean Energy Training Centers in Ghana and the United Arab Emirates. The Department is also requesting an additional $8 million in 2025 budget to establish more training centers over the coming years to support workforce development, training, and knowledge sharing with new and emerging nuclear energy countries in Africa, Asia, and Central Europe.
