Poland’s first nuclear power plant is unlikely to meet its official deadlines, according to Bogdan Tkocz, chairman of the Solidarity trade union at Tauron Serwis. Speaking to WNP.PL, Tkocz argued that until nuclear capacity comes online, the country must maintain its coal-fired power plants, despite the growing share of renewables. He pointed to the looming end of the capacity market in 2028 as a critical risk for the entire energy system.
Tkocz stressed that the September 2026 auction for capacity market deliveries in 2027 is approaching, yet no one knows what mechanism will replace the current system after its expiry at the end of 2028. According to him, this uncertainty discourages operators from planning major overhauls and servicing of coal units, raising the risk that the Technical Inspection Authority (UDT) will ban them from operation.
– Everyone knows that the first nuclear power plant will not be built according to the declared deadlines. With large investments, problems with timely implementation always arise – Tkocz said. Under the revised Polish Nuclear Power Programme (PPEJ), the first three blocks are scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2036, 2037 and 2038.
Coal units needed for district heating
Tkocz highlighted that some coal units scheduled for closure by the end of 2028 due to the end of the capacity market also supply heat to local communities. This applies, for example, to the Siersza power plant in Trzebinia and the Łaziska power plant, both owned by Tauron.
– In the Łaziska power plant, we need to think about modernising the existing units so they can work until a new heating investment is ready, or consider other solutions – Tkocz pointed out. He contrasted this with the Jaworzno plant, where a 910 MW unit has a capacity contract until 2034, and a new shaft at the Sobieski mine ensures coal supply. – But what about places like Łaziska or Bełchatów? In Bełchatów, a waste incineration plant was supposed to be built, but that topic has gone quiet. In Łaziska there is a CO2 capture installation; the social agreement says this technology will be implemented in the energy sector, but that’s not happening – it’s a fiction – he added.
Job losses and need for a round table
Tkocz noted that reducing coal-fired capacity and hard coal mining will inevitably lead to job losses. He gave the example of the Nowomag mining equipment factory in Nowy Sącz, where around 200 employees face group redundancies – the closure was announced in early July 2026. – In the Rybnik power plant the era of coal is ending, but a gas unit is being built there. In Łaziska no new generating facility is being built, no major investment. A round table is needed to conduct honest discussions beyond political divisions about concrete solutions for each location – Tkocz said.
Stanisław Tokarski, chairman of the supervisory board of Południowy Koncern Węglowy, argued in a separate interview with WNP.PL that a new capacity market should be introduced from 2030, but its shape is still under negotiation with the European Commission. He warned that relying solely on gas to balance the National Power System would be unwise given the risks of gas imports. – It is better to have a 50-50 split between coal and gas for balancing capacity – he said. Tokarski added that coal units can only be rationally closed once the nuclear plant is fully operational, which he estimates will be in 2040 or later.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Shutterstock/Łukasz Nowak
