Poland's Senate in favour of removing some of restrictions on wind plants construction from distance law
The Polish Senate has proposed amendments removing some of the restrictions on the construction of wind turbines from the amendment to the wind farm distance law. Among other things, provisions prohibiting the construction of wind power plants in military air zones would disappear. The bill also freezes electricity prices in the fourth quarter of 2025.
57 senators voted in favour of the bill as amended, 29 voted against and no one abstained. Earlier, a motion to reject the bill in its entirety, tabled by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, did not receive a majority of senators. The bill will now return to the lower house of Polish parliament, Sejm, which will consider the Senate amendments.
In addition to the provisions on the construction of wind turbines, the bill includes a provision introduced during the Sejm's work, extending the freeze on the price of electricity for households at PLN 500 (EUR 431) per MWh net until the fourth quarter of 2025.
According to the Senate's amendments, provisions banning the construction of wind turbines in military airspace MCTR (around military airfields) and MRT (dedicated corridors for low-altitude flights) would disappear from the bill.
The Senate also proposed to remove the provision prohibiting the construction of wind turbines closer than 500 metres to the Natura 2000 areas created for the protection of birds or bats.
It also proposed to delete the provision prohibiting in principle the construction of wind turbines within 1H (tower height plus rotor radius) of national roads.
Prior to Thursday's vote, Poland's deputy climate minister Milosz Motyka and senators Waldemar Pawlak and Stanisław Gawlowski at a joint press conference called on the President to sign the law. They pointed out that it is a way to stabilise and reduce energy prices for households and businesses.
wkr/ jls/ mick/ ana/ ao/