An additional half a billion zlotys (approximately 117 million euros) from the National Recovery Plan (NRP) will be allocated to modernizing Poland’s electricity grid, according to a statement from Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment. The energy industry will have the opportunity to make a technological leap that will enable the construction of smart infrastructure and a significant increase in the capacity to connect renewable energy sources to the distribution grid.
The co-financing agreements were signed by Dorota Zawadzka-Stepniak, Chair of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, and her deputy, Józef Matysiak, as well as by representatives of the beneficiaries: on behalf of “Energa-Operator” – Vice President Marek Pszonka and Director of the Finance and Regulation Department Karolina Blaszak-Lasota; and on behalf of “Tauron Dystrybucja” – Chairman of the Management Board Leszek Kosiorek and Vice Chairman of the Management Board for Operations Maciej Mroz.
470 million Polish zlotys for the distribution modernization of the Energa-Operator
“Energa-Operator” is one of the largest distribution grid operators, managing over 200,000 km of power lines at all voltage levels and serving approximately 3.4 million customers. The company is responsible for electricity distribution across one-quarter of Poland’s territory.
In 2026, Energa-Operator will receive 470 million Polish zlotys from Poland’s NRP to expand smart energy infrastructure. The project, valued at 772 million Polish zlotys, will primarily cover rural areas in eight provinces.
The investment will result in the construction of 250 km of new or upgraded power lines, 17 434 power distribution substations, the ability to connect 262 MW of renewable energy capacity, and a reduction in energy losses of 210 MWh per year. The modernized grid will be adapted to the distributed structure of consumers and producers and will become more resilient to weather events and the challenges of the energy transition.
33,6 million Polish zlotys from the National Investment Plan for investments by “Tauron Dystrybucja”
“Tauron Dystrybucja” is the largest electricity distribution network operator in Poland. The company distributes 51 TWh of electricity across an area of 57,000 km², representing 18.5% of the country’s total area, and serves 5.92 million customers.
In 2026, the company will receive 33.6 million Polish zlotys to implement a program to modernize the electricity distribution network in the southern part of the country. The project, valued at 55.1 million Polish zlotys, includes 16 investment activities across five provinces: Lesser Poland, Silesia, Lower Silesia, Opole, and Subcarpathia.
The activities will be carried out in several municipalities, including Strzem, Pawłowice, Trzebinia, Chšanów, Nemodlin, Grodków, Oborniki Śląskie, Tuchów, and Dąbrowa Tarnowska. The investment will strengthen the distribution infrastructure, improve the quality of power supply, and support the development of renewable energy sources in the region.
Bacкground
In recent years, Poland has been actively working to develop the country’s electricity distribution networks. To address the enormous and unprecedented challenges facing the infrastructure sector, the president of the Polish energy regulator URE took the initiative to develop a sectoral agreement, which took the form of a Charter for the Effective Transformation of the Distribution Networks of the Polish Energy Industry, signed in November 2022. The agreement between the sector regulator and energy companies is part of the process of adapting electricity distribution networks to the new energy market architecture, which is increasingly based on distributed generation with a significant share of renewable energy sources. The goal is to create a stable regulatory environment for electricity distribution companies, necessary for long-term and large-scale investments in the modernization and development of the grid, and to facilitate the raising of investment funds from sources other than tariffs.
At the end of last year, the Polish regulator launched another energy initiative—the “Accelerator for Cross-Sectoral Development in the Energy Sector.” Its main objective is to coordinate activities aimed at strengthening cooperation among the entities that shape the Polish energy market in the broadest sense, as well as among sectors that are particularly vulnerable to the challenges they face as a result of changes in the energy market. The inaugural meeting of “The Accelerator” and its Strategic Council was attended by representatives of the Polish government, including the Minister of Energy, the Minister of Climate and Environment, and the Minister of State Assets. The new initiative includes the transmission system operator “Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne” and the Polish Association for Electricity Transmission and Distribution, representing electricity grid operators, as well as organizations and companies from the sectors of district heating, natural gas, renewable energy sources, energy storage, liquid fuels, and energy-intensive industries.
The Accelerator is designed to enable:
- identification of the key needs, opportunities and challenges facing the Polish energy sector;
- building synergies between stakeholders and participants in the energy and fuel markets;
- development of recommended actions (including those legislative and regulatory) to support the transition and the development of joint positions and reports;
- consulting on regulatory projects and measures to support the transformation and development of commercial and distributed energy generation, energy storage, zero-emission heating, e-mobility, and digital transformation;
- exchange of experience and good practices;
- building mutual trust and responsibility among market actors towards systemic change.
