Andrzej Robaszewski for Rzeczpospolita on Poland’s Coal Sector and Energy Security

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10 Aug 2026

Andrzej Robaszewski

Andrzej Robaszewski

Director of Fiscal Policy Studies and Sustainable Development
Andrzej Robaszewski is Director of Fiscal Policy Studies and Sustainable Development. His areas of expertise also include EU economic governance, energy markets and ESG.

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Andrzej Robaszewski, CASE Research Director for Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Development, commented for Rzeczpospolita on the recent increase in Poland’s hard coal production and its implications for the country’s energy security.

In the first half of 2026, Poland produced 21.2 million tonnes of hard coal, 3.7% more than in the same period last year. While this marks the first increase in several years, Robaszewski points out that it should not necessarily be seen as a reversal of the sector’s long-term downward trend.

According to Robaszewski, several factors have contributed to this year’s increase in coal production, including higher electricity demand and increased generation from hard coal-fired power plants. At the same time, for much of the first half of the year, mines were not only selling their current output but also reducing inventories accumulated in previous periods.

Robaszewski also highlights the economic constraints facing the sector. High extraction costs associated with deep coal seams, significant labour costs and productivity challenges mean that higher production does not necessarily translate into improved financial performance for mining companies. In the longer term, coal production and employment in Poland’s mining sector are therefore expected to continue declining.

In the short term, domestically produced coal reduces dependence on imports and helps maintain dispatchable power generation when demand is high and conditions for renewable energy are less favourable.

Andrzej Robaszewski

Director of Fiscal Policy Studies and Sustainable Development

At the same time, domestically produced coal continues to play a role in Poland’s energy security. In the short term, it reduces dependence on imports and helps maintain dispatchable electricity generation when demand is high and conditions for renewable energy sources are less favourable.

Read more in Nikodem Chinowski’s article, “Is Coal Making a Comeback? Surprising Results from Polish Mines”, published by Rzeczpospolita on 4 August 2026.

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Andrzej Robaszewski for Rzeczpospolita on Poland’s Coal Sector and Energy Security

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Andrzej Robaszewski

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Andrzej Robaszewski for Rzeczpospolita on Poland’s Coal Sector and Energy Security

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