Blackout in Poland? PSE reveals its plan for a safe energy transformation

According to the PSE strategy, in 2035 the PPS is to be ready for safe and stable operation in the conditions of a zero-emission energy mix. In 2040 – ready for accelerating electrification of the economy and safe integration of 110 GW of renewable energy sources, 24 GW of energy storage and 5.3 GW nuclear power plants. In 2050, Poland is to be ready for climate neutrality in the conditions of an electrified economy.
On Tuesday in Warsaw, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne presented its strategy until 2040. PSE is the operator of the Polish transmission system, whose task is to ensure the security of electricity supplies and develop the necessary transmission infrastructure.
The Polish economy is becoming more and more electrified; in the future, electricity will not only power companies, but also heat our homes and power our means of transport. Therefore, in their strategy, Polish Power Grids emphasize that they have a key role to play in the process of providing the Polish economy with access to affordable and clean energy, which will determine its competitiveness and development in the coming decades.
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— The accelerating expansion of renewable energy sources, the dynamic development of artificial intelligence, but also new hybrid and digital threats create challenges to which we must find answers. — indicate PSE in the document.
In 2035, the share of renewable energy sources in electricity production in Poland will exceed 60%. However, with this expansion of wind and solar energy, which have become the cheapest energy sources in recent years, the complexity of the power system is increasing. The main reason for this is that renewable generation is variable because it is weather dependent.
President of PSE, Grzegorz Onichimowski
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Polish Power Grids / Polish Power Grids
Already over 90 percent capacity of renewable energy sources in Poland are connected to distribution networks, and the number of prosumers exceeded 1.5 million. In the coming years, PSE notes, we will continue to observe a dynamic increase in power in distributed energy.
— The growing share of prosumer photovoltaics means that the level of energy fed into the grid by local generation installations is increasingly difficult to predict – emphasizes the operator.
These changes in the system are forced a new approach to the technical and regulatory tools available to the transmission system operator. — In a system with a high share of renewable energy sources, this becomes particularly important. This is indicated by the experience from the blackout on the Iberian Peninsula in April 2025, the operator emphasizes in its strategy.
It also warns that “the lack of appropriate tools and the failure to adapt legal regulations to the needs of the system were among the causes of this serious failure.” Meanwhile, according to estimates of the Energy Regulatory Office, a complete blackout in Poland could mean economic losses amounting to approximately PLN 40 billion per day. – This shows that investments in the security and resilience of the power system are of strategic importance – emphasizes the operator.
PSE's recipes for counteracting blackouts
And offers recipes. In this matter, access to knowledge comes to the fore. – In order to maintain safe operation of the national power system in the future, we must have reliable information on the forecast energy production and consumption in all installations connected to the grid – he says.
This becomes particularly important in situations where the potential generation of renewable sources exceeds the current demand of consumers. — In this context it is crucial to deepen cooperation with distribution system operators to gain better insight into the behavior of recipients, including prosumers and energy storage users – points out the operator.
Logo of Polish Power Grids
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Polish Power Grids / Polish Power Grids
It also announces, in order to counteract blackouts, developing the electricity network with maximum use of existing infrastructure, thanks to, among others, high-temperature cables, dynamic line load systems or rail bridges.
— We want to move away from reactive network development. This is why we will support the administration in preparing a comprehensive reform of the connection processwhich will eliminate projects that have no chance of implementation and shorten the waiting time for investors to be connected to the grid – PSE promise.
To ensure security and an appropriate level of flexible and available power in the National Power System, it intends to further support the administration in implementing new power mechanisms and an anti-blackout package to increase the observability and controllability of resources connected to the National Power System at all voltage levels.
It also plans to establish a Balancing Market Consultative Council – a platform for cooperation with stakeholders whose task will be to support the process of improving market mechanisms.
It will be too periodically publish the Electricity Market Roadmap — a document presenting proposals for the development of the energy market and system services in the coming years.
It intends to prepare for new threats and ensure the best possible cooperation with institutions responsible for state security create the Internal Security Service — own rapid response group to incidents involving PSE's critical infrastructure.
— In the face of growing cyber threats and dependence on ICT and OT technologies, cybersecurity is crucial for the continuity of operations of the energy sector. That is why we are ready to act as the Computer Security Incident Response Center (CSIRT) for the national energy sector – declare PSE.
As a result of all these activities, by 2034, over 80 GW of new renewable energy capacity, 15 GW of energy storage and nearly 14 GW of available capacity, including nuclear energy, will be ready for safe integration with the National Power System.
Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka, in the background the president of Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne Grzegorz Onichimowski
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Jacek Szydłowski / Forum / Forum Polish Photographers Agency
The main goal of the PSE strategy
The main goal of the strategy is to achieve by 2035 the readiness of the National Power System for safe and stable operation in the conditions of an emission-free energy mix.
In their strategy, PSE indicates as its mission the construction of an electricity system that will ensure Poland's security, competitiveness and development on the way to climate neutrality.
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— In the coming decade, we must meet the challenge of preparing the National Power System to operate most of the time without forcing conventional sources to operate. Conventional sources will continue to be present in the system. Coal and gas power plants will be used to balance the National Power System, but the stability of the network will not depend on them – declares the operator.
The next solution is technology. PSE emphasizes that it is necessary to implement technologies in the National Power System that will maintain the level of security that we currently have thanks to conventional sources.
— In the future, renewable energy sources and energy storage facilities will support the National Power System, working in the grid forming mode, i.e. actively shaping the network operating parameters. Before grid forming becomes widespread, we will gradually introduce synchronous compensators by building them ourselves or purchasing appropriate services in the field of shaping network parameters, such as inertia, short-circuit powers or flexibility – explains the operator.
PSE also specifies that grid forming is an inverter function that allows initiating and stabilizing the operation of the power grid, even in the absence of an external stable voltage and frequency signal to which devices operating in the network could refer. The grid forming inverter autonomously determines the voltage and frequency, acting as a virtual synchronous generator.
The strategy also includes a reference to the priority of Donald Tusk's government, which is local content: – We want to support Polish companies in creating innovative solutions (technical, technological, organizational, market and other) that meet the needs of the operator and the National Power System. PSE Innowacje will play a leading role in achieving this goal.
Mission and vision of the new PSE strategy
– To effectively respond to the challenges of transformation, we must become a more agile, more courageous and open organization – respond faster to changes in the environment, cooperate more effectively with market participants and better understand the needs of recipients – emphasize PSE.
As they add, the key is to develop a transparent, competitive and well-functioning electricity market. And “price should act as an information carrier – reflect the current situation of the power system and indicate directions of action for market participants: when to increase production, when to reduce consumption, and when to invest in long-term flexibility.”
– We are aware that the market will not solve all problems, e.g. not all consumers will be able to buy energy at the current market price. It is therefore necessary to create mechanisms to protect sensitive customers to ensure a fair transformation, the operator warns.
The vision of the strategy is based on the assumption that PSE is the guardian of energy security, the architect of the development of the energy system and markets, and the leader of sustainable energy transformation in Poland and Europe. — We are building a future where everyone has access to reliable, affordable and clean energy – declares the operator.
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— Our goal is not only to protect the system against blackouts or cyberattacks, but also to create conditions for the fullest electrification of the economy, the operator concludes.







