Can you tell us which sectors are currently driving demand for your company, considering that you serve the entire value chain from production to distribution, traditional and new sources of energy?

Our demand is closely linked to gas, which is playing a crucial role in the transition from the coal era to the renewables era. We cater to a variety of investments, ranging from small municipal district heating plants to large CCGT units.

There have been discussions about Poland becoming a gas hub, even though the country has limited natural gas resources. What makes Poland an attractive candidate for this role?

Poland’s potential as a gas hub lies in its infrastructure and ability to act as a transit point to neighboring countries. For instance, we have the Baltic Pipe project, as well as other ventures such as the Swinoujscie terminal and the floating terminal planned for Gdansk. In the next ten years, we are going to increase our transmission capabilities significantly.

From a technical standpoint, how challenging is it to switch power plants from coal to gas?

Switching from coal to gas is not as complicated as one might expect. We need to dismantle some parts of the installation, but we can use many of the existing facilities, such as network connections and district heating systems. Essentially, we are only replacing the heart of the plant.

To pursue such an alternative, it would require central level leadership. Are the authorities in Poland interested in this vision?

I believe they are. The Ostroleka project is famous because it is coal-based, so it has attracted a lot of attention. However, there are many other investments underway, which are equally important to our economy, but they don’t receive the same level of publicity. For instance, the expansion of the Dolna Odra power plant with two new gas units that will generate 1.4 GW, equivalent to Ostroleka.

There are also smaller projects, such as the Zeran plant, currently under construction, or the Siekierki plant, which is planned to switch from coal to gas. The challenge is that such transformations take time, and it requires significant investment and cooperation from various stakeholders.

What are the most significant challenges you face when doing business in Poland?

There are several challenges we face, as is typical in any business. One of the biggest challenges is the need for improved legislation, such as the lengthy 108-month period required to obtain all necessary permits to develop an offshore wind farm. Funding is another challenge, considering that transitioning to more sustainable technologies will be costly. However, we are confident that this challenge will be resolved through a combination of state efforts, EU funds, private investors, and energy sector funds.