Local governments, smaller businesses, and public use entities - such as schools, hospitals or churches - will pay a maximum of 785 zlotys per megawatt hour (MWh) - Poland's Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa said at a press briefing on Friday (October 14). Earlier that day, the government adopted a draft bill on the issue. Furthermore, the project assumes maximum electricity prices for households which exceed the 2,000 kWh limit at 693 zlotys per MWh. Deputy PM Jacek Sasin said on Twitter the government also agreed on a bill on distribution of coal by local governments.
"Today the government has adopted a bill, which we presented last week together with PM Morawiecki, deputy PM Sasin, and minister Buda. This bill is a next step to protect individual consumers. Above the limit of 2,000 kWh, where we are freezing prices in 2023 at the level of prices from 2022, there will be a binding price of 693 zlotys regardless of the usage limit," minister Moskwa said.
She added the project also set the maximum price at 785 zlotys per MWh for local government, small and medium companies, and the so-called sesitive entities, such as schools, hospitals or churches.
According to the climate minister, the estimated cost is approx. 19 billion zlotys, which would be financed from the revenue of energy companies. "This will be the basic source. Should this source prove insuffiecient, then we shall cover it from national funds. At this point we are not planning this," Anna Moskwa added.
"Absolutna stabilizacja z punktu widzenia prowadzenia dalszej działalności"
"Freezing electric energy prices for small and medium companies at 785 zlotys per MWh provides stabilisation and room to keep on operating further," Minister of Economic Development and Technology Waldemar Buda said on Friday at a press briefing in the village of Całowanie in Masovian Voivodeship.
"With offers around 1,400 zlotys per MWh one could still consider keep the business going further, but at 3,000 zlotys per MWh made it absolutely impossible," Buda said, adding that this information came straight from business owners.
Introducing into the bill a limit of 785 zlotys per MWh for micro, small and medium companies "is an absolute stabilisation from the point of view of further operating and helps to stay afloat," Buda said.
The minister also pointed out that fixed electricity prices pertains to 99% - that is 2.3 million - of businesses in Poland. He added that only approx. 3,000 entities - which are larger and hire more than 250 employees - did not qualify for this solution. Buda also stressed the government had changed the initial assumption and introduced electricity price limits for companies up to 100% of average energy use, rather than 80%.
Coal distributed by local governments
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for State Assets Jacek Sasin said on Twitter on Friday "the Council of Ministers has approved a draft bill, which sets the price of coal for local governments at a maximum level of 1,500 zlotys". "It means that the coal will be much cheaper for the end user," he added.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday (October 13) that the coal distributed by local governments would be sold for a maximum price of 2,000 zlotys per tonne. Furthermore, the project is to guarantee a maximum price of 1,500 zlotys per tonne of coal for municipalities.
Morawiecki also assured the bill would provide maximum flexibility to local governments as to the issue of coal distribution. Municipalities will be allowed to do it on their own or in coordination with other municipalities, and it will be possible to organise coal distribution through councils or coal depots, which a municipality signs a contract with, as well as through farmer producing groups that use scales.
The prime minister admitted that the state would be burden part of the cost.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24 Biznes, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Kancelaria Premiera