Polish fertilizer producer Grupa Azoty to start producing explosives

Polish nitrogen fertilizer company Grupa Azoty will produce explosives. This was announced on Monday, November 18, by the Polish Ministry of Defense on its official website.

"On November 18 this year at the headquarters of Grupa Azoty with the participation of the head of the Ministry of National Defense (Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. - Ed.) was signed a letter of intent regarding cooperation in the production of explosives in Grupa Azoty," - stated in the message.

It is noted that during the conference Kosiniak-Kamysh said that in Poland is planned to build a plant for the production of ammunition.

"Tomorrow at the meeting of the Council of Ministers we will adopt an act, not just a resolution, on the construction of a plant for the production of ammunition in Poland. We have decided to proceed with this project in accordance with the law because we believe it is crucial to our security. This is a breakthrough step in our national security activities," he said.

Kosiniak-Kamysz added that Poland is seeking independence in the production of 155mm ammunition, planning to establish not one but several factories with the support of NATO and EU partners. It is also reported that the government will allocate about 3 billion zloty for the project.

Earlier, in October, The New York Times wrote about the fact that in Poland, residents of the village of Choczewo opposed plans to build nuclear reactors of the American energy company Westinghouse. As noted, plans are underway to place three U.S.-made Westinghouse reactors on the shores of the Baltic Sea near Choczewo, just about 16 kilometers from the abandoned ruins of a Soviet plant. The cost is expected to be more than $35 billion. The elected head of the Hochevo district, Jaroslav Bach, has stated that he opposes the construction of the reactors. As it was specified, his opinion was supported by many local residents.

At the same time, Andrew Light, Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs, told the newspaper that the project will serve Washington's goal "to help the countries of Eastern and Central Europe to detach themselves from Russian energy" . The newspaper recalled that 40 years ago, the USSR began construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) near Hocevo, but it was halted after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The erection of American reactors is planned near the old under-construction site.

Back in October 2020, Poland signed a cooperation agreement with the United States to expand and develop the country's nuclear power program. In the fall of 2022, it was reported that the U.S. electrical engineering company Westinghouse would build the first nuclear power plant in Poland's history.