Portland-based NuScale will work towards deploying its first VOYGR SMR plant in Poland by 2029, which it said would save the country 8 million tonnes in CO2 emissions per year.

"The SMR technology will increase the company's cost efficiency and transform the Polish energy sector," said Marcin Chludziński, president of the management board of KGHM.

The two companies will now work together to identify potential project sites and develop project planning milestones and cost estimates, NuScale said.

"These activities support KGHM as it evaluates NuScale VOYGR plants as a coal repurposing solution for existing power plants, as well as opportunities to deploy VOYGR plants to provide safe, carbon-free, reliable energy for their operations and to support other Polish industrial energy users," said the US firm.

The agreement follows an MoU signed by KGHM and NuScale in September. 

NuScale's SMR technology was the first of its kind to receive design approval from the US nuclear regulatory commission in August 2020.

The scalable design means one plant can house up to four, six or 12 power modules each generating 77MW.