WARSAW- South Korea's state-owned Korea Hydro Nuclear Power said on Thursday it has submitted an offer to build Poland's first nuclear plant.

The company first expressed interest in building the plant last year but faces competition as Poland is also talking to U.S. and French companies about the project.

Poland plans to build nuclear power plants to reduce its carbon emissions and gradually phase out coal and Warsaw seeks a partner to build 6-9 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity and provide 49% equity financing for the project.

Korea Hydro Nuclear Power said it had presented an offer to Poland's Deputy Environment Minister Adam Guibourge-Czetwertynski to build six reactors with a combined capacity of 8.4 gigawatts, with the first to be operational in 2033.

"The offer is supported by the Korean government and includes a complex financing plan by KHNP and institutions of the Korean government," the company said in a statement. It gave no further details.

Poland aims to reduce its dependence on coal which now generates some 70% of the country's electricity. Warsaw's most advanced talks on technology and financing for a nuclear plant are with the United States, but it has also spoken to France.

(Reporting by Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Susan Fenton)