Polish President's veto of wind farm bill impacts energy security, says energy minister
The Polish President's veto of the so-called wind farm bill is a blow to Polish families, industry, energy security and the entire economy, according to energy minister Milosz Motyka.
"President Nawrocki's veto of the bill guaranteeing low energy prices is a blow to Polish families, industry, energy security and the entire economy," Motyka wrote on X.
"The potential offered by cheap energy sources should be unlocked. The president's decision is contrary to the interests of Poles," he added.
President Karol Nawrocki announced on Thursday that he had vetoed the amendment to the so-called wind farm bill, which also includes provisions on freezing electricity prices until the end of the year.
Nawrocki announced that he would submit a bill to the Sejm freezing energy prices, which he says is taken verbatim out of the wind farm bill.
At the beginning of August, the lower house of Poland's parliament, Sejm, supported most of the Senate's amendments to the amendment to the so-called wind farm act.
In addition to provisions liberalising the rules for investing in onshore wind turbines, the amendment freezes electricity prices for households until the end of this year.
The main objective of the act was to liberalise the existing regulations on investments in onshore wind turbines.
The amendment abolishes the 10H rule introduced in 2016 and introduces 500 metres as the minimum permissible distance of new wind turbines from residential buildings. Currently, it is 700 metres.
In addition to the provisions on the construction of wind turbines, the act included a provision introduced during parliamentary proceedings extending the freeze on electricity prices for households at PLN 500 (EUR 117.6) per MWh net until the fourth quarter of 2025. Currently, the freeze is in force until the end of September.
"Today, I signed a draft that was literally taken from the wind farm bill; we didn't even change a comma. I will be ready to sign it on September 24," the President announced.
When running for his office, Nawrocki had promised to prepare his own draft bill on energy prices for Poland within first 100 days of being in power.
pat/ han/ ao/