The National Centre for Nuclear Research and the MARIA Reactor represent a great potential that allows us to think with hope about the personnel and technological development of nuclear energy. It is also a unique research infrastructure on the map of Poland and the possibility of producing key radiopharmaceuticals for oncology therapies. These were the conclusions voiced during a visit by representatives of the United States and the Polish Atomic Energy Agency to the Świerk nuclear complex.

On Tuesday 11 June, the National Centre for Nuclear Research hosted senior representatives of the United States. During a visit of several days by the Chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), Mr Christopher Hanson, who came to Poland at the invitation of the President of the Polish Atomic Energy Agency, Mr Andrzej Głowacki, a meeting was planned with the authorities of the only Polish scientific centre with an operating nuclear reactor. President Hanson and President Głowacki were accompanied during the talks and visit to the MARIA reactor hall by the US Ambassador Mr Mark Brzezinski and a delegation of staff from both institutions.

The meeting began with the guests being welcomed on behalf of Director Krzysztof Kurek by Prof Agnieszka Pollo, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs, and Grzegorz Krzysztoszek, Deputy Director for Nuclear Safety and Radiological Protection. Prof Pollo then presented the activities of the National Centre for Nuclear Research in the fields of reactor physics and technology, as well as materials research and pharmaceutical production. After the presentation, the guests went to the reactor building, where the Director of the Nuclear Facilities Operations Department, Paweł Nowakowski, talked about the history, design and safety procedures of the reactor and showed the control room and reactor hall.

The MARIA reactor, the only one of its kind in Poland, celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Among European reactors, this marks just ‘maturity’ - only 14 of the nearly 40 reactors and critical assemblies operating on our continent can boast a younger age, most of which are over 40 years old anyway. During reactor operation, radioactive isotopes are produced, which are then used to make radiopharmaceuticals used in cancer therapies - both known (MARIA covers 30% of the world's demand for iodine-131) and prototype ones. At the same time, streams of energetic particles, i.e. neutrons, are used by physicists in the study of new materials or the strength of structural components of future reactors. In recent years, MARIA has undergone many upgrades that allow it to operate safely for decades to come. It should be emphasised that the opportunities for both research and production created by the MARIA reactor are unique and often impossible to replace in other technologies.

The event concluded with a short talk by representatives of the NCBJ, NAA and US NRC. In statements to the press after the meeting, the guests emphasised the high competence of the reactor staff and the value of Polish-American cooperation. They often referred to the need to develop the nuclear power industry and to the role of NCBJ in this context, as a training centre enabling the training of personnel for this area of the economy. Despite the fact that power reactors present many technical challenges that are not present in the MARIA research reactor, the scientific and development work carried out at the National Centre for Nuclear Research makes it possible to build a human resources and technology base for the implementation of the Polish nuclear power programme.