In 2023, Polish renewable sources (excluding hydropower) produced more electricity than lignite-fired power plants, according to a report on the operation of the National Power System for last year, published by Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE).

According to data published by the transmission system operator, last year renewable energy sources (RES) produced the most ever – 35 TWh and accounted for 21.5 % of total generation. The share of electricity generation from lignite was 21.1 % and, for the first time, lower than from renewables. In 2022, the shares were: 15.8 % for RES and 26.8 % for lignite.

Hard coal power plants produced the most electricity in 2023, with 46.8 %. In total, 68 % of electricity was generated from both types of coal. Gas-fired power plants accounted for 8.3 % of production and hydroelectric power plants for 2.2 %. National electricity production amounted to 163.6 TWh, 11.5 TWh less than in the historically record year 2022.

Installed capacity in the National Electricity System (KSE) reached 66.3 GW, of which 40 % is RES, 3.6 % hydropower, 37 % hard coal, 12.2 % lignite and less than 7 % gas-fired power plants. The capacity of hard coal sources increased by 200 MW, gas sources by 1.4 GW and renewable sources by more than 5 GW.

The highest domestic power demand occurred on 28 November 2023 at around 1pm and was 27326 MW. In contrast, the lowest was recorded on 11 June 2023 at 5.30am and was 11331 MW.

“The balance of international exchange was almost 3.9 TWh directed towards Poland. The highest balance in the direction of Poland was on connections to Germany and Sweden, while the highest balance in the direction from Poland was with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. No restrictions in electricity supply were recorded due to lack of power in the national system and transmission grid failures”, says the PSE report.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński