Public aid for mining sector “move in the right direction” – Energy Ministry

Poland’s Minister of Energy, Krzysztof Tchórzewski , announced at a conference on Tuesday that recent plans to further subsidize restructuring of the Polish coal industry were positive, but indicated that more needed to be accomplished. “In certain situations, all (of the current coal employees) have a guaranteed job, or if they choose to, within four years of retirement, within the reform’s framework, will have benefits of 70 percent of (their salaries) and the opportunity to work further, beyond mining.” Earlier in month, the European Commission announced that it would provide over PLN 8 billion towards modernizing and reforming the industry in Poland. Tchórzewski indicated that future work included the creation of a recovery program for Katowice Coal Holding, a state-owned coal company that has a production capacity of 12 million tonnes per year and is expected to be listed on the WSE within two to three years. Poland generates some 85 percent of its electrical energy via coal, and although there are plans to reduce this figure by allowing more renewable energy into the mix, coal is expected to be the main fuel for electricity generation at least through 2030, according to industry and government sources.