WARSAW, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Export Development Canada is

interested in providing up to $1.45 billion in financing for the

sale of goods and services by Canadian suppliers for the first

nuclear plant in Poland, the Polish company involved in the

programme said on Monday.

Poland is working to reduce its reliance on carbon-intensive

coal and chose Westinghouse Electric to build the country's

first nuclear plant on the Baltic Sea coast. The plant is set to

cost some $40 billion and is due to be fully operational by

2040.

"We are pleased to see strong interest in our investment

project from leading players in the global financial market,

with whom we are in constant contact," said Piotr Piela, vice

president of PEJ, which is in charge of building the nuclear

plant.

The U.S. Export-Import (Exim) Bank has already expressed

interest in contributing about 70 billion zlotys ($17.37

billion) to the project.

($1 = 4.0305 zlotys)