There is a looming danger ahead of us – a blackout, i.e. a cut-off of electric power, as a result of a shortage, a mechanical failure or system overload. System overload is inevitable, even if Polish Electricity Networks impose restrictions on the supply and consumption of electricity. All other remedies that may have lessened the risk of blackouts in Poland are also exhausted.
According to Maciej Bukowski, President of the Warsaw Institute for Economic Studies, Poland is in danger of power shortages especially during the high summer temperatures.
‘Our system is not designed to work in high temperatures. Coal-fired power plants require cooling by water, and in the case of prolonged drought, some water springs are not able to work at full speed. In addition, the demand is growing – people widely use air conditioning, which didn’t exist not so long ago. Therefore, the demand for energy immensely increased in recent years. Combination of the ill-adapted, in terms of technology, system and greater demand, leads to overload and in consequence energy shortages’, judges the expert. The Germans do not have this problem due to new technologies, diversification of energy sources, and particularly the use of photovoltaics. The entire surplus of demand is compensated by photovoltaics, while in Poland its underdevelopment is a big problem for the system.
Maciej Bukowski talked with James Janiszewski in ‘Połączenie’ on the TOK FM radio.
