— The project is calculated and arranged in such a way that if we soon receive binding offers for the construction of gas units in Połaniec, we will be able to launch the designs of these units in this year's December capacity market auction, which we intend to do, said Kinelski.
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Enea's new investment in Połaniec. The head of the state giant reveals details
The new gas units are scheduled to be launched in 2030. As Enea's president emphasizes, their launch does not mean the end of the operation of the current coal units, which are currently being modernized towards the so-called greening.
— In 2026, the Połaniec power plant blocks will be green, ready to produce electricity in the process of co-firing biomass and coal with emissions below 550 kilograms of CO₂ per megawatt-hour. – Kinelski explained.
Currently, a tender is underway to select a contractor for the gas units. The investment in Połaniec is one of the key elements of Enea's energy transformation, which assumes a gradual abandonment of high-emission energy sources while maintaining security of supplies.
The company's president also noted that In the current strategy, Enea envisages further use of coal and biomass in the co-combustion process until 2035. – We have planned purchases of coal for power plants by then – added Kinelski.
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The head of Enea also referred to the issue of the future of the capacity market, which is a key support mechanism for energy companies ensuring stable energy supplies. – I believe that the capacity market is a guarantor of energy security and every effort should be made to ensure that it continues to function after 2030. This means that further capacity auctions should be organized – he noted.
Kinelski also commented on the idea of restoring the exchange obligation, i.e. the obligation to sell electricity on the public market. In his opinion, mechanisms that increase the transparency of energy trading can have a positive impact on the stability of the sector, but maintaining systemic support instruments that enable financing of the energy transformation remains crucial.
The planned investment in Połaniec is of strategic importance both for Enea and the national power system. New gas units, next to modernized coal units, are to become one of the pillars of the transformation of the Polish energy sector towards low-emission within a decade.
