Black-outs On the Horizon in Poland
Aging coal-fired power plants are, of course, problematic for the reliability of the Polish electricity supply. A single outage in one or two huge coal plants can cause major problems in the grid supply of electricity, as we saw this summer. However, the strategy of building large new coal-fired power blocks is also problematic for many of the same reasons. Poland is the only country in Europe pursuing this strategy and it makes no sense. A new report from a Polish expert argues that shortages could become critical in three to four years. The aging power plants are closing (many this year due to the end of their exemption period under the EU rules for major combustion plants). Others will simply close because they are falling apart in the next few years. The only sources of electricity that can fill this void and create a more reliable and diversified electricity supply (critical to continued economic growth and energy security) are renewable energy sources (which could t...