On May 20, 2025, the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) information about the approval of the final report from the project entitled ”Technical Description of the Gas-Cooled High-Temperature Nuclear Research Reactor” (Agreement No. 1/HTGR/2021/14, dated May 12, 2021, for the amount of PLN 60 million) by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. Approval of the report by the Minister’s team constitutes formal recognition of the contract as completed.

The project was implemented between 2021 and 2024, at the request of the Minister of Climate on August 10, 2020, as a result of intensive and long-standing Polish–Japanese cooperation in the field of nuclear technologies. On the Japanese side, the main role was played by NCBJ’s counterpart institute, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), supported by commercial companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Toshiba ESS Corporation. The Japanese partners provided source documentation based on the operational HTTR (High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor), which was redesigned by the National Centre for Nuclear Research team, incorporating numerous original solutions developed by the Polish team. On the Polish side, the National Centre for Nuclear Research cooperated as part of the so-called local contribution, with Energoprojekt Katowice and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków.

As a result of the project, a basic design of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) and elements of a preliminary safety report were developed. The reactor, in keeping with the tradition of the National Centre for Nuclear Research, was given a female name – POLA (POLski Atomowy) . It is characterized by a high level of inherent safety (based on the laws of physics), an innovative design, and potential for integration with modern industrial technologies. The cooling agent is a chemically and radiation-neutral gas – helium. This is a Generation IV reactor capable of operating at very high temperatures, up to 750°C, therefore can be used to produce process heat in the chemical industry (up to 540°C), produce hydrogen and e-fuel production, electricity generation, and providing low-temperature heat for municipal applications.

The continued development of HTGR technology can provide a valuable complement to light water reactors, as it enables the decarbonization of other sectors of the Polish economy. The construction of the HTGR-POLA reactor opens new opportunities for many sectors of Polish industry—including chemical, petrochemical, heating, and automotive—by providing industrial heat. It addresses the challenges of the energy transition in these sectors. HTGR-POLA may also be used in hydrogen production and district heating. It is also an opportunity to develop Polish know-how, build competencies and research infrastructure, and strengthen the domestic supply chain for nuclear energy.

In May 2025, a technical dialogue was initiated with the National Atomic Energy Agency to obtain a general opinion on the technology. In addition, the project was submitted to the HTIH (High Temperature Industrial Heat) working group of the European Small Modular Reactor Industrial Alliance (SMR Industrial Alliance), which was established by the European Commission.