110 billion PLN for investment in Poland’s energy sector
In an official statement, the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy presented the status of investments being implemented with funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The projects involve the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing infrastructure intended to strengthen Poland’s energy security. Nearly 110 billion PLN has already been allocated for this purpose from the plan, representing around half of the total funding available to Poland. According to the ministry, the funds have already been directed toward projects including:
- a new gas pipeline in Gustorzyn;
- offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea;
- energy storage facilities;
- transmission infrastructure.
“The 250-kilometer gas pipeline from Gdańsk to Gustorzyn will be completed within the next few days. It is the largest gas infrastructure investment financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Gustorzyn is the heart of Poland’s gas system. Eleven connections branch out from here, distributing gas across the country. It can also be redirected for export, for example to Southern Europe,” said Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz during a press conference in Gustorzyn.
The new trunk pipeline will connect the Pomeranian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian regions, with the first gas expected to be injected into the Gdańsk-Gustorzyn pipeline as early as September this year. The project is intended to improve security of supply and enable further diversification of gas sources, including liquefied natural gas. Ultimately, it will also increase gas transmission capacity from northern Poland, including supplies from the new LNG terminal.
“This is one of many projects being implemented under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan that will modernize the country’s energy infrastructure and accelerate the development of renewable energy sources. Thanks to these investments, our energy system will become more resilient, flexible, and better prepared for growing energy demand.”
Excerpt from the original press release
Work underway on the Gdańsk–Gustorzyn gas pipeline / Photo: gaz-system.pl
Ports and offshore wind farms
According to the ministry, more than 9.5 billion PLN is being invested in offshore wind development alone, supporting the construction of the following wind farms off the Baltic coast:
- Baltic Power;
- Bałtyk II;
- Bałtyk III;
- Baltica 2;
- Baltica East.
Of these, Baltic Power is the most advanced. The 1,140 MW wind farm is expected to begin testing later this year, with commercial operations planned for next year. It is expected to generate approximately 4 TWh of electricity annually, equivalent to around 3% of Poland’s domestic demand. This would be sufficient to supply 1.5 million households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2.8 million tonnes per year.
“At the same time, we are implementing the Bałtyk II, Bałtyk III, and Baltica 2 projects. Once they are commissioned, green energy will be supplied to more than 4 million households across the country. The next stage of development will be Baltic East, a new 900 MW wind farm scheduled to enter operation in 2032. It will provide clean, renewable energy to another 1.25 million households, thereby strengthening the country’s energy security and reducing our dependence on coal. All of these investments will also improve air quality and provide an economic boost, from creating new jobs during project implementation to increasing orders for Polish companies participating in the supply chain.”
The development of offshore wind farms also requires corresponding port infrastructure. For this reason, more than 1.5 million PLN in funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is to support construction of an offshore terminal in Gdańsk and modernization of the ports of Łeba, Ustka, and Darłowo. These facilities will support operations related to the servicing and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
Investments in transmission grids and energy storage
Funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is also being used to modernize Poland’s national electricity grid. A total of 3.23 billion PLN is to be allocated to the expansion of transmission lines and substations, as well as the digitalization of the system. Polish Power Grids is currently implementing seven projects across several regions, intended to improve the reliability of electricity supplies and facilitate the connection of additional renewable energy sources to the existing grid.
Energy security also requires large-scale energy storage facilities. Projects are being developed in Żarnowiec in the Pomeranian region, Ełk in the Warmian-Masurian region, and at the Porąbka-Żar pumped-storage power plant in Silesia. More than 843 million PLN from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan has been allocated to expanding energy storage capacity.
Based on an official statement by the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy