The government plans to invest in increasing the country’s coal mining capacity, as it is necessary for Poland’s energy security, said Jacek Sasin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Assets.
“We had a course to put an end to the hard coal mining industry. It meant the maximum reduction of investments. At the moment, of course, these investments to increase production will be necessary and we will do them – I want to say it very clearly. Because it is necessary for Poland’s energy security,” said Sasin in the program Sedno Sprawy Radia Plus.
When asked if Polish production could be increased by 1-5 million tons per year, the deputy prime minister replied: “At the moment – rather on the lower scales that you talked about.”
He explained that the intention was to increase through incentives for miners to work overtime or on Saturdays.
“Of course, it will be necessary to import, only from directions other than Russia. Today, about 8 million tons of coal flow from Russia to Poland. […] We already have arrangements with foreign partners regarding imports from other countries,” emphasized Sasin.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced earlier this week that the government plans to move away from Russian coal by April, May 2022 at the latest.
As recently reported by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE), in Poland only about 5% of Russian coal is directed to the industry, and the rest goes mainly to professional heating plants.
Source: Sedno Sprawy Radia Plus and ISBnews
