ABSTRACT
Power generating capacity of lignite burning plants in Poland is 8,700 MW. This constitutes approximately 27% of the total power generating capacity in all commercial power plants of the nation. It is a significant drop from early 90’s when lignite generated power accounted for 40% of the total. Present forecasts call for 40% to 70% growth in overall power demand by 2020. With no nuclear power plants and no significant increase in the use of renewable resources this increase needs to be met by burning solid fuels: bituminous coal and lignite, and natural gas. Most of the latter has to be imported what limits its attractiveness. As a result life of the active lignite mines needs to be extended to the maximum and new mines need to be constructed. Intensive planning and design is under way to facilitate both. Intensification of lignite mining is conditioned on the ability to adapt the present mining technologies to the requirements of the environmental protection.
