They are fighting for the atom. "Bełchatów cannot be another Wałbrzych"

• Lignite mining in Bełchatów is expected to end between 2035 and 2038.
• As the president of PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna argues, the city has not only the appropriate space, but also all the necessary infrastructure.
• In addition, Bełchatów employs qualified technical staff. About 20% of employees have vocational education, and only a small percentage have primary education.

Although the lignite deposits, on which the entire Bełchatów region has been based for decades, are slowly being depleted, the city does not intend to reconcile itself with the role of a former power. On the contrary, it is preparing for a transformation that could make the city a pioneer of a new, zero-emission energy industry in Poland.

- Bełchatów is big. It is the heart of Polish energy, and such places should not disappear from the map - said Jacek Kaczorowski, president of PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna during the European Economic Congress

Lignite mining in Bełchatów is set to end between 2035 and 2038, depending on system demand. This means that the largest power plant in this part of Europe will face not only technological but also social challenges.

- Today we employ 7 thousand people directly and another 5 thousand in our subsidiaries. That's a total of 12 thousand jobs that need to be maintained or replaced. It's hard to imagine that they will suddenly disappear - he stressed.

The solution is to be a project to build a nuclear power plant with a capacity of about 3 GW. Conceptual work is already underway. Its launch would coincide with the phasing out of the mine and coal-fired power plant, enabling a smooth transition to a new energy reality.

The end of coal is the beginning of a new chapter

As President Kaczorowski argues, Bełchatów has not only the right space, but also all the necessary infrastructure. The transmission system is adapted to output power of around 5.5 GW - much more than needed in the first stage of the nuclear project. The region also has water resources necessary to cool the reactors.

- Water from mine drainage is 5.5 cubic meters per second. Additionally, we have intakes on the Warta and in Bronisławów. With demand of 2 to 4 meters, we have a large buffer - added the president.

In his opinion, human potential is no less important. Bełchatów employs qualified technical staff. About 20% of employees have vocational education, and only a small percentage have primary education.

- These are people who can manage large installations. We have shown this many times. Bełchatów has proven many times that it can implement complex investments. In recent years, a modern 858 MW block with supercritical parameters was built here. It was also here that the first wind farm in the region was built, on Kamień Mountain.

- We are not doing anything for the first time. For decades we have been developing competences that are priceless today - Kaczorowski argued.

Bełchatów cannot be the second Wałbrzych

The President of PGE GiEK stressed that he does not want Bełchatów to share the fate of Wałbrzych, which has been struggling with unemployment and economic collapse for years following the closure of the mine.

- We have time to prepare. We learn from other people's mistakes and we want to use it. We want Bełchatów to remain an important point on the energy map of Poland - this time thanks to nuclear energy - Kaczorowski summed up.

Local governments are also waiting for the nuclear power plant . At the beginning of the year, the Łódź provincial assembly published a position supporting the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bełchatów. It emphasized the appropriate strategic location, proximity of industrial and scientific centers, developed transport and power infrastructure. Positions supporting the investment were also voted by, among others, the city of Łódź, Bełchatów district, Bełchatów commune, Radomsko district, Sieradz district and Kluki commune.

The project also has a lot of support from residents . According to research conducted by PGE GiEK SA, as many as 97 percent of those taking part support the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bełchatów. The results of the survey, in which 1,173 people took part, clearly show that respondents see the project as an opportunity for the development of the region, new jobs and energy security. The vast majority of respondents (1,048 people) expressed full support for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bełchatów. Additionally, 92 people answered "rather yes". In total, the project is supported by 97.2 percent of respondents. Only 22 people were against it, and 11 people had no opinion.

Respondents indicated several key benefits related to the construction of a nuclear power plant. The most frequently mentioned arguments were: jobs (996 people), energy security (954 people) and development of the region and infrastructure (921 people).