This year, the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) received an indefinite licence to operate the MARIA research reactor from the president of the National Atomic Energy Agency. The reactor’s launch in 1974 is considered one of the greatest achievements of Polish nuclear research, and it remains a flagship installation of Poland’s nuclear science, attracting researchers from around the world. Representatives of NCBJ stress that long-term strategy and stable project financing are essential for further development.
Construction of the MARIA reactor—named after Marie Skłodowska-Curie—began in June 1970, and the reactor was commissioned four years later at the Institute of Nuclear Research (now NCBJ) in Świerk, near Otwock.
“This reactor was designed more than five decades ago, and yet its functionality makes it one of the most modern reactors of its kind today—one of only a few worldwide. It truly was a unique consolidation of Polish expertise that resulted in a fully Polish reactor,”
— says Prof. Jakub Kupecki, Director of NCBJ, in an interview with Newseria.
“The MARIA reactor serves several important functions. On the one hand, it is a research device enabling a wide range of scientific experiments, such as irradiating samples for material studies in various fields—from advanced materials research to more unusual applications at the intersection of nuclear physics and archaeology,”
— adds Dr Paweł Gajda, Director of the Nuclear Energy Department at the Ministry of Energy.
The MARIA reactor is used for: irradiation of target materials for radioisotope production, material and technological research, neutron doping of semiconductor materials, medical applications of neutron beams, and physical and neutronographic studies.
“One of the reactor’s key functions is the production of radioisotopes used later to manufacture radiopharmaceuticals—drugs used, for example, in cancer therapy—as well as various radioactive sources used in industry. Another important role is training, allowing us to gain practical experience in operating nuclear reactors,”
— emphasises Dr Paweł Gajda.
The reactor and its associated laboratories form a globally recognised centre for nuclear and reactor technology development, as well as medical research and applications involving nuclear techniques.
“The challenges come down to three things: money, money and money. On one hand, we need stable and systemic support for the operation of MARIA, and eventually for its successor or successors. On the other, building the necessary competencies requires patience and investment. Today, nuclear-sector projects span decades. If we want our own technology and aim to be a significant player, we must commit to major long-term investments,”
— says Prof. Kupecki.
He notes that this requires not only funding but also long-term planning.
“Poland must decide whether it wants to remain the operator of one of the few nuclear research reactors in the world. In my view, this is not just a showcase installation for Poland but also a magnet attracting top scientists from abroad seeking to develop their skills. Many of our researchers came to Poland specifically to join this unique research ecosystem. These are massive costs, impossible for a single research institute to bear alone. This must be a strategic programme embedded in the national budget with a long-term perspective,”
— stresses the NCBJ director.
NCBJ conducts research in cooperation with leading European and global institutions, including CERN in Geneva. It is also involved in ITER—the world’s largest fusion reactor project. NCBJ runs astrophysical experiments, including sky surveys in ground-based and space missions, neutrino-beam experiments in Japan, and work on scintillation techniques for nuclear radiation detection.
“When it comes to which research directions are key for nuclear energy, all of them are complementary. None of the areas that constitute NCBJ’s competencies exist in isolation—they overlap and reinforce each other,”
— says Prof. Kupecki.
“From a technical standpoint, priorities differ from those in the scientific component. Around NCBJ we have teams whose work has come close to Nobel Prize achievements, and others that have contributed to building CERN components, designing the MARIA reactor, or developing the new high-temperature reactor POLA.”
On 20 May this year, NCBJ received confirmation from the Ministry of Education and Science of the approval of the final report for the HTGR-POLA reactor project. The initiative, carried out between 2021 and 2024, produced a basic design for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. The next stages include siting and environmental studies, preparation of a technical design, licensing, construction and commissioning. High-temperature reactors have numerous potential applications: they can generate electricity, provide steam and heat for industrial processes, and support green hydrogen production. In Poland, they are seen as particularly promising for heating and industrial uses as part of the energy transition.
“Further development of NCBJ—and the nuclear research sector as a whole—means improving our competencies to better assist industry and ensure that what we develop meets real market needs,”
— says Prof. Kupecki.
“That is why we are entering new partnerships. The advisory council of industry representatives at NCBJ, which I recently announced, will help us identify priority directions for the next one, five or ten years so that our capabilities and operational model remain aligned with sector needs.”
Industry-oriented research initiatives include: radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production, development of reactor, accelerator and detector technologies for medical therapy and diagnostics, industrial radiography, border control, design and testing of materials for nuclear, chemical and mechanical industries, and R&D on fourth-generation reactor technologies. NCBJ is also expanding competencies in nuclear safety research and in cybersecurity for industrial electronic and IT systems.
“Cooperation with industry is evolving. Over the years, we have carried out numerous contracts—some public, some confidential. We increasingly form real partnerships, train company personnel, conduct research for them, and share our experience as operator of the MARIA reactor, working closely with nuclear regulators. This includes advanced research with extensive applications in nuclear technologies and related fields,”
— explains the NCBJ director.
Because of its unique facilities and expertise, NCBJ can also support government institutions in tasks essential to innovation policy. It can serve as a training centre for civil servants and state agencies in nuclear medicine, nuclear energy, threat modelling and risk assessment.
