How Poland plans to reinvent its coal giant Bełchatów

Europe’s largest coal-plant emitter, the Bełchatów power plant, is inching toward shutdown. With deadlines approaching for the closure of both the plant and its lignite mines, owner PGE is weighing its options for replacing the massive chunk of generation capacity Bełchatów provides.

In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, Pamela Largue speaks with Monika Manowska, Investment Advisor at Energy Investment Management, to explore what could come next. Manowska breaks down the feasibility of renewables, the prospect of transforming an open-pit mine into a leisure centre, and the far-reaching impacts these decisions could have on surrounding communities.

In this episode, you will learn more about:

• The role Bełchatów has played in Poland's energy mix;
• The coal phase-out plans and shutdown timelines for the plant;
• What the technological transition could look like at the plant;
• The social impact of the coal phase-out;
• How the transition will be funded;
• What the closure of this plant will mean for Poland’s power independence and resilience in the broader EU context;
• The lessons Bełchatów could offer other coal-intensive regions across Europe undergoing energy transition.

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Listen to previous episodes:
How to create a competitive metals industry in Europe
Taking solar steps for women in Ukraine

Read more about Poland's coal transition:
How to create jobs after coal in the heart of Poland
Weighing the human cost of shutting the Bełchatów coal plant