Construction Accelerates at New Gas-Fired Power Plant in Poland

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

Poland is celebrating the start of construction at a new gas-fired power plant in the north of the country

New Power Plant

A cornerstone ceremony has been held at northern Poland's first large-scale combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Gdansk. 

The project is key to energy security and the country's transition away from a heavy-reliance on coal and the rollout of more renewable energy, according to Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka. The 560-megawatt (MW) plant is being built by CCGT Gdansk Sp Zoo, a joint venture of Energa and Orlen SA and is expected to generate enough power for 1 million homes when it is commissioned. It will use turbines and generators from Germany's Siemens. According to Industrial Info Resources data, the project will cost more than US$680 million to complete and numerous site preparation and construction jobs are already underway. Subscribers to Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the full report.

"Our energy system requires flexibility, good interoperability with renewable energy sources, availability, and stability," said Minister Motyka. "The CCGT Gdansk power plant combines all these elements. This is a key project for Poland's energy security and for the region, which lacked a unit of such high capacity. By building a resilient power system, we are also strengthening Polish industry, Polish companies, and Polish entrepreneurs."

"Gdansk and the Pomeranian region are facing a historic change, " said Magdalena Kamińska, President of the Management Board of Energa. "CCGT Gdansk will be the first large-scale system source in Pomerania. Along with the units currently under construction in Grudziądz, the Energa Group is shifting the core of system balancing and energy supply toward the north of the country."

Other Gas Projects

The Gdańsk power plant is one of four CCGT units being built by Energa and Orlen. Industrial Info Resources is tracking two projects at Grudziadz  - Phase I & Phase II - and another at  Ostroleka. According to the CCGT joint venture company, the plants' total installed capacity will be approximately 2.4 GW and will be capable of generating enough electricity to power an average of nearly 5.5 million households annually.

Gdansk Progress

Earthworks are underway, basic basic utility connections have been installed, and internal roads are gradually being completed. Construction work has begun on the OSBL (Outside Battery Limits) auxiliary infrastructure, including the raw water supply system necessary for the plant's future operation. Special piles are being constructed   to strengthen the foundations of the power plant, while piling for the foundations of the engine room and the turbine set itself have already been completed. Actual foundation work is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year with delivery of key equipment, including the turbine set, in 2027. The same Siemens' turbine sets will be used at the Grudziadz projects. 

Poland's Energy Mix

Poland used to be almost entirely reliant on coal-fired power but that reliance has lessened in the past decade. Coal-fired power accounts for 56% of electricity generation today according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), followed by wind (14.6%), gas (12.4%) and solar power (9%). The country is under increased European Union (EU) pressure to reduce its emissions. Think tank, Ember, noted that in 2025 its per capita emissions of 2.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent exceeded the EU average of 1.3 tonnes. Poland's combined wind and solar contributed less than 25% of total power, less than the EU average of 30%, but the country is investing heavily. By 2030, Ember stated that Poland has proposed to reach 36.6 GW of solar, 15.8 GW of onshore wind, 5.9 GW of offshore wind, and 2.9 GW of hydro, bio and other renewables capacity to boost their contribution to 51%. Industrial Info Resources is tracking more than 100 solar, wind and hydro projects in Poland valued at over US$42 billion in combined investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports. 

Key Takeaways

• Work accelerates at a key Polish gas-fired power project in Gdansk.
• Gas-fired plants will play a vital role in balancing the power grid as the country shifts away from coal-fired power to renewables.
• Industrial Info Resources is tracking two other gas-fired power projects at Grudziadz  - Phase I & Phase II - and another at  Ostroleka. 

About Industrial Info Resources

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).