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Polish energy sector warns of winter coal shortages as imports surge 168%
Polish energy transition at risk as industry warns of coal dependence and slow decarbonization
Poland’s energy sector faces a growing risk of coal shortages this winter as the country deepens its reliance on imports, industry leaders warned on Tuesday.
Andrzej Gajewski, president of Orlen Termika, said domestic reserves may prove insufficient if temperatures drop sharply, with December and January critical for supply stability. Speaking at the XXX Forum of Polish Heating Companies in Międzyzdroje, Gajewski noted that last winter’s cold snap and subsequent gas price spikes—triggered by the Strait of Hormuz blockade—pushed utilities to switch from gas to cheaper coal, depleting stocks. “If we have a harsh winter, we will scrape the bottom of the barrel,” he said. Orlen Termika, which supplies heat to Warsaw, has stockpiled 1.5 million tons, a level Gajewski said should last through winter .
Poland imported 3.06 million tons of thermal coal in the first half of 2026, a 168% increase year-on-year, with Kazakhstan and Colombia as the top suppliers, according to the Agency for Industrial Development. Independent importers and traders drive most purchases, as major power companies and municipal heating plants still rely primarily on domestic coal .
The Polish Chamber of Commerce for Coal Sellers underscored coal’s continued role, stating that coal and gas plants will underpin energy security for at least a decade. Grzegorz Onichimowski, president of PSE, the national transmission operator, said delays in gas projects may force the extension of older coal plants beyond 2028 to meet demand .
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