Grid infrastructure outdated but safe – energy ministry

Poland's energy grid infrastructure is advanced in age. Many elements have exceeded 40 years, but the system is secure, according to the deputy minister of energy Andrzej. He added that 70 percent of the grid has been built more than a quarter of a century ago and was not replaced or upgraded since then. Only necessary repairs have been done. Despite that, the national power system is safe. “The power reserve level available to the transmission system operators exceeds the required 18 percent of the national peak power demand, and the adopted safety procedures ensure the safe supply of electricity to end users,” Piotrowicz explained. The current peak demand for power is around 22,000 MW in the early morning and about 20,000 MW in the evening, while the reserve capacity is between 4-6,000, according to the energy ministry estimates. However, given the situation in August 2015, when there was a lack of sufficient power in the system - the network operator - Polish Power Grids decided to limit energy consumption for some customers.