Coal reserves

During periods with the lowest temperatures the company power plants and combined heat and power plants burn approximately 1 million tonnes of coal per month. On 15 December in the yards of the PKE SA eight plants there were 1.09 million tonnes of coal. The company has also guaranteed to have regular supplies of fuel. In January 2005 the company signed a five-year contract with the Kompania Węglowarepa SA (the Coal Company). Moreover, in the PKE Capital Group there is Południowy Koncern Węglowy SA (the Southern Poland Coal Company) with two coal mines: Sobieski and Janina which extract fuel mainly for the power industry.

With the Order of 12 February 2003 the minister of economy, labour and social policy obliged power companies to keep fuel reserves which would guarantee continuity of electrical energy and heat production. Their quantity depends on the distance of the source of coal to the power plant. If a plant is situated at the distance of less than 50 km from a mine which guarantees it supplies of not less than 70 percent of coal it uses, in winter it has to keep reserves no smaller than for the average 20-day use. In addition the reserve is corrected by a coefficient which increases or decreases this quantity depending on a particular month. Power plants located further than 50 km from the source of coal are obliged to keep 30-day reserves.

Reserves sufficient for power plants: Jaworzno III, Łaziska, Łagisza, Siersza and Halemba and for combined heat and power plants: Katowice and Bielsko-Biała are for 20 days of operation, while for the Blachownia Power Plant – for 30 days.

Repairs

Power engineers from PKE SA devoted also special attention to punctually complete repairs of basic coal feeding, ash removing and water management equipment as well as works related to protection of power and auxiliary systems and facilities. Agents for cleaning and defrosting water intakes and heating systems have also been replenished.

Procedures

Management of the PKE SA power plants and combined heat and power plants has also prepared scenarios of action in case of extreme conditions. Detailed procedures for failures of particular generating facilities, fire and defence situations as well as property protection have been established. It has been planned how to organise activities to ensure continuity of operation, technical measures have been taken, personnel of centres for the winter action have been selected. Lists of executives appointed to be on duty at home as well as of employees to make up crisis intervention and emergency teams have been drawn up.

PKE SA is also prepared for operation during blackouts. Emergency procedures in particular power plants and combined heat and power plants have been verified and updated for technological facilities in relation to getting them prepared to operation or to safely setting them aside during failure of the National Power System.

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Południowy Koncern Energetyczny SA (the Southern Poland Power Company) is the second largest energy producer in the country (4952.7 MWe, 2399.7 MWt) – the company has a 14 percent share in the domestic installed capacity and 16 percent of the heat production market in the Silesian Province.