The only operating nuclear reactor in Poland – a high-flux, pool-and-channel-type research reactor with a thermal power of 30 MW, operated by the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) in Świerk near Otwock. Construction began in June 1970, and the reactor achieved its first startup (critical state) on 18 December 1974 at the then Institute of Nuclear Research (today NCBJ). The reactor is used for scientific research, materials irradiation and – which is of strategic importance on a global scale – the production of radioactive isotopes for medicine. MARIA produces, among others, molybdenum-99 (the precursor of technetium-99m, the most important radionuclide in medical diagnostics), iodine-131, lutetium-177 and others, forming the basis of preparations exported under the POLATOM brand to more than 80 countries; the reactor provides approximately 10% of the world's molybdenum-99 production. MARIA is a strategic national facility: Poland has a research reactor but no nuclear power plant (the historical Żarnowiec NPP project was abandoned – a separate record).
How it went
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- Current
- ~10% of world Mo-99 production
Timeline
- Construction startJun 1970
- Delivery18 Dec 1974
Change history
- 18 Dec 1974status: completedFirst start-up of the MARIA reactor – reaching criticality on 18 December 1974.
- 18 Dec 1974stage: operational
- Jun 1970stage: construction
Significance
MARIA is the only operating nuclear reactor in Poland and one of the world's key producers of molybdenum-99 – the radionuclide from which technetium-99m, the most important isotope in medical diagnostics, is obtained. The reactor provides approximately 10% of the world's molybdenum-99 production, and the isotopes produced in it (including iodine-131, lutetium-177, phosphorus-32, samarium-153, cobalt-60, holmium-166) form the basis of preparations exported under the POLATOM brand to more than 80 countries. After more than half a century of operation (startup in 1974), the facility remains a strategic scientific and medical infrastructure of the state – while at the same time Poland has no operating nuclear power plant. In 2024 the reactor marked its 50th anniversary of operation.
Sources 5 · 3 independent · 4 archived
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- Polska Agencja Prasowa (PAP)Dec 2024StatusDeliveryInvestor
Statusreaktor MARIA, który obchodzi w tym roku 50-lecie swojej pracy, jest obecnie jedynym działającym reaktorem jądrowym w Polsce
DeliveryMARIA po raz pierwszy uruchomiona została 18 grudnia 1974 r.
InvestorReaktor powstał w ówczesnym Instytucie Badań Jądrowych (dziś NCBJ)
- Wikipedia (pl)Construction startUtilisation
Construction startbudowę rozpoczęto w czerwcu 1970 r.
Utilisationzapewnia m.in. 10% światowej produkcji molibdenu-99
- Narodowe Centrum Badań Jądrowych (NCBJ)Stage
StageThe MARIA research reactor, Poland's sole nuclear reactor
- Funding
Funding12 grudnia br. została podpisana i wysłana decyzja przyznająca dotację podmiotową dla Narodowego Centrum Badań Jądrowych w wysokości 21 187 500 zł
FundingNCBJ otrzymało także środki z Krajowego Planu Odbudowy w wysokości 19,8 mln zł na projekt 'MNL Maria Neutron Laboratory'