Poland ahead of elections: PGE's failed green strategy and a revived ministry

Parliamentary elections are just a month away in Poland, with voting scheduled for 15 October. Energy will undoubtedly be one of the key issues, as it is a particularly contentious topic in Poland. An interesting moment in the run-up to the election came when energy giant PGE (Polska Grupa Energetyczna) unveiled its decarbonisation plan, which envisages phasing out coal by the end of 2030. This caused an uproar among interest groups across the country.

A gradual phase-out of coal combustion by 2030 and gas by 2040. That was the new vision for PGE unveiled in Warsaw on 29 August. In practice, PGE would transfer its most emissions-intensive assets—its coal-fired power plants—to the state-controlled National Agency for Energy Security (NABE). The company would thus rid itself of its coal burden in one fell swoop. While this acceleration of the energy transition was welcome in some respects, it angered mining unions, which have a very strong presence in Poland and support the original plans to mine and use coal until 2049.