Energy policy of EU on European Economic Congress in Katowice
The URE President took part in European Economic Congress in a discussion concerning strategic goals of energy policy in European Union.
Many important issues were discussed, such as: issues connected with climatic package, energy security as well as liberalization of the energy market in the EU. The participants of the panel discussion included also Mrs. Joanna Strzelec-Łobodzińska, Under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Economy, Janusz Steinhoff, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy between 1997-2001 as well as representatives of Polish and foreign energy companies.
Dr Mariusz Swora referred in his presentation to European package liberalizing energy market. In the future ownership separation, guarantying the true development of competition on energy markets, should reach distribution networks as well, and the presently proposed solutions of separating independent transmission operator (ITO) and independent system operator (ISO) I estimate as temporary solutions - stated the URE President.
The URE President also raised the issue of introducing the system of smart metering of the network, as a project aiming at increasing the electricity efficiency. This type of project, actively promoted by the URE President can bring significant benefits to all participants of the market, including most of all the customers.
Moreover, the URE President referred as well to the problem of building common energy and natural gas markets, underlining, that the path to common market leads through regional markets. Poland should be engaged in creating markets with the countries of the region, which have similar experience and similar interest - stated dr Mariusz Swora. Besides presently conducted regional initiatives it is worth considering others with participation of such regional countries as, for example the Ukraine - he added.
Currently Poland participates in a few regional initiatives covering the building of gas and energy markets, including: gas pipeline project SKANLED (it will deliver gas from Norway to Sweden, Denmark and Poland), building of liquefied gas terminal in Świnoujście as well as the building of energy bridge between Poland and Lithuania and nuclear power plant in Ignalin (it should provide electricity to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).