PSG at EuroPOWER & OZE POWER
On November 7, the 36th EuroPOWER Energy Conference & 6th OZE POWER began in Warsaw. The inaugural panel on Poland's energy security and optimization was attended by Ireneusz Krupa, a member of the PSG Management Board for Development and Investments.
The EuroPOWER & OZE POWER Energy Conference is an event during which the most current challenges and issues regarding the energy sector are discussed twice a year. Apart from PSG Board member Ireneusz Krupa, the debate moderated by the editor-in-chief of the BiznesAlert.pl portal, Wojciech Jakóbik, was also attended by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and Environment Ireneusz Zyska, President of the Energy Regulatory Office Rafał Gawin, Vice-President of Tauron Artur Warzocha, Vice-President of Gaz-System Artur Zawartko, President of E.ON Andrzej Modzelewski and Dorota Dębińska-Pokorska from PwC.
The panel discussed issues related to investments in distribution networks.
"Polska Spółka Gazownictwa is the largest distributor of gaseous fuel energy in Poland. We face the same challenges as power operators, only on a much larger scale. Our capital expenditures require twice the money we have at our disposal. This is around PLN 5.5 billion a year. Today we are asking ourselves how much of these funds should come from the tariff and how much from external financing," said a member of the PSG Management Board for Development and Investments.
During the panel, the development of the biomethane market in our country was also discussed. The greening of gas distribution would allow, among others, reducing the costs and emissivity of gaseous fuel.
"We need a strong impulse for the development of the biomethane market in Poland. The main point is that we can use this product to supplement the gas balance in Poland. This year, we note a decrease in gas consumption by approx. 10%. We also note less interest in connecting to the gas network among customers and small businesses. On the other hand, we faced considerable pressure to connect the sector of system heat producers. If we were to cover the potential of the heating sector today, the demand for gas would increase by as much as several billion cubic meters per year. However, we do not have the funds for these investments. Therefore, we would like changes in the Energy Law, allowing investors to bear part of the connection costs. We have scores of people willing to cover such investments themselves, but we need legal changes in this regard," said Ireneusz Krupa.
