Controversy around the Coal Bloc Construction Agreement. The case will be dealt with by the prosecutor's office
In the published announcement, Grupa Azoty Puławy reported that the notification went to the National Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. It concerns Suspicions of the crime “abuse of trust in economic transactions” and “in great size property damage” by “people obliged to deal with property matters and the economic activity of the Azoty Puławy Group”.
The key thread is Conclusion of Annex No. 5 for the contract for the construction of the coal power block in Puławy. According to the company's announcement, analyzes are currently underway whether the decision to implement this project could also violate the law.
When asked about the details, the company refused to answer, stating that it could not provide them at this stage.
The history of the block construction dates back to 2019.when a contract was signed with the Polimex Mostostal consortium. Initially, the investment was to be completed in the third quarter of 2022, but subsequent schedules were gradually sliding. In May 2023, Grupa Azoty Puławy reported that the date of completion of the block designated for June 3, 2023. Technical defects, including steam turbine defects, which forced delays, turned out to be a problem. The contractor, Polimex Mostostal, estimated that the block would be completed by September 30, 2023.
The project budget has been increased several times. In May 2023, shareholders agreed to increase financing to PLN 1.23 billion, and signed on July 14, 2023, the annex additionally provided for an increase in the contractor's remuneration by PLN 35 million and extending the deadline by 223 days. The final cost was to amount to PLN 1.2 billion.
However, in January 2025, the contract with the Consortium Polimex Mostostal was terminated by the Azoty Puławy Group, which burdened the contractor for failure to comply with the contract. As part of the Puławy settlements, the plants charged the contractor with a note of over PLN 239 million for breaking the contract for reasons attributable to his side. Polimex Mostostal did not agree with this assessment, claiming that the contracting authority had violated the contract, which became the basis for terminating the contract in December 2024.
