– I attended a meeting at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. There were about 50 people. The meeting was essentially devoted to two problems – says the Mayor of Bolesławiec Piotr Roman. – The first concerned electricity prices. I had an opportunity to speak and say that the problem is enormous. In the tender we opened on Tuesday, only one bidder, Tauron, took part. It offered us prices almost five times higher. But that is not even the worst part. The worst thing is that the second part of the tender (and it was completed on the very day I was at the prime minister’s office) ended without a single offer being submitted. If these prices were final, instead of the PLN 2 million I pay for lighting, I would have to find PLN 10 million. I do not have that money. I was very alarmed by electricity prices because we would not be able to bear them; we would not manage. This concerns heating schools and providing lighting. I will not switch off street lamps, because people would get hurt – the mayor explains.
– Secondly, the prime minister appealed for help with coal distribution. We do not actually have any problem because we have a company (the Zakład Energetyki Cieplnej – ed.) that has already dealt with coal distribution. Coal from ZEC was reportedly the best quality in the city. So we have no formal problems; we want to distribute coal. In the case of Bolesławiec, a tonne of coal dust used to produce heat cost PLN 350 just a year ago, while today the same tonne costs PLN 750. Someone has to pay for it. The Energy Regulatory Office does not allow the price to be raised, and therefore there will be some compensation (there is already an act) – Piotr Roman adds.
Homes connected to ZEC will be warm
In Bolesławiec, we already have the first delivery, which provides coal until January. And there is a 99% certainty that there will be two more deliveries that will provide fuel for the winter. The problem is transporting the coal. The prime minister said he would consider involving railway companies more heavily in this.
– There is considerable concern among the heads of rural municipalities. We have ZEC, scales and a laboratory. They have nothing. The ZEC company is to contact PGE; next Thursday I am planning a meeting with the heads of rural municipalities so that they also know how we will organise distribution. I understand the protest by local-government officials; it is justified, but at the moment I have a slightly different job: ensuring heat and ensuring coal – says Piotr Roman.
People will probably be able to buy coal from ZEC
– There is a very good chance that ZEC will sell coal, if PGE honours the agreement, because we received a draft agreement from them. Based on the prices proposed by PGE, it would mean that we would have to sell coal for more than PLN 3,000 per tonne. There is also a declaration from the prime minister that they will introduce a subsidy system which will mean that if municipalities sell coal, the price should not be higher than just over PLN 2,000. I do not know how much over, but it will certainly be cheaper – assures the Mayor of Bolesławiec.
Ceramic plants are to be covered by protection
The meeting in Warsaw also addressed the issue of ceramic plants in Bolesławiec and the surrounding area. The letter written by all our ceramic manufacturers arrived. – The prime minister and Minister Moskwa know the situation in the ceramics industry. And there is a declaration that companies employing up to 250 people will be included among vulnerable customers. The issue of electricity prices will be addressed there; I do not know whether gas will be included as well – adds the Mayor of Bolesławiec, Piotr Roman.