WARSAW, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Canada believes its CANDU reactor technology is the best option for Poland's second nuclear plant, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said Tuesday during a visit to Warsaw, as the country works to reduce its reliance on coal.
Poland has chosen U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric to build its first nuclear plant on the Baltic Sea coast. It has also started consultations to select a partner for a second plant and invited potential partners from the United States, France, Canada and South Korea.
"We're here to advance dialogue on nuclear power as Poland advances with its second nuclear plant," Hodgson told reporters, adding that Canada would financially support the CANDU offer for Poland.
Last year, Poland and Canada signed an agreement that provided a legal framework for cooperation on nuclear power.
Elsewhere in the region, Romania has reactors that use Canadian CANDU technology, owned by AtkinsRealis.
'PENSION FUNDS COULD BE SHAREHOLDERS IN PLANT'
Hodgson said Canadian pension funds, which have provided capital for Britain's Sizewell C nuclear project, could be potential equity shareholders in Poland's second nuclear plant.
"Should Poland choose CANDU, we will do everything we can to attract that type of institutional investment here," he said.Hodgson said Canada had also offered supplies of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) in discussions with Polish officials.
"Today, I'm already seeing Europeans buying cargoes off of our West Coast and swapping them in Singapore or in the Middle East for cargoes destined for Europe. That's a very efficient way to access the Canadian supply," he said.
Poland last year imported over 8 billion cubic meters of LNG, much of which was from the United States.
(Reporting by Marek StrzeleckiEditing by Bernadette Baum)
