In its operations, the PGE CG uses water responsibly for the entire ecosystem, monitors its use and implements solutions to improve the standards of its use in its processes to mitigate negative impacts and risks, as well as to strengthen the positive impacts and make use of opportunities.
For the technological needs of the PGE CG’s installations, water from surface water withdrawals, subjected to purification processes, is mainly used. In order to reduce raw water consumption, circularity is used in the generation units, and used process water and waste water are reused in other processes.
Below, essential water-related activities of the PGE Capital Group are presented, along the lines of the Environmental Policy. The PGE CG’s business segments with the greatest impact in this area due to the nature of their operational activities are also specified.
Activities of companies in relation to the directions specified in the Environmental Policy and the Declaration on environmental policy.
In 2024, the companies of the PGE CG carried out the following activities resulting from the Environmental Policy and Declaration on environmental policy:
Ongoing activities resulting from operation and overhaul costs and the investment plan in PGE GiEK S.A. conventional power plants:
- Reduction of water consumption/withdrawal/discharge through:
- continuous monitoring of the quantity and quality of water abstracted and waste water discharged. For technological purposes, water from surface and deep water withdrawals is used and then purified and treated.
- use of circular solutions and the reuse of process water and treated wastewater in other processes to reduce raw water consumption.
- Multi-stage wastewater treatment followed by discharge into surface water or transfer to municipal companies.
- highly advanced industrial wastewater treatment technologies implemented at the Turów Power Plant, using membrane technologies – ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO), which allowed to achieve the quality of wastewater discharged into the recipient at a level corresponding to its environmental objective (surface water bodies).
- an open cooling system in place and equipment to reduce the pollution of wastewater. Depending on the wastewater type, it is treated in chemical, biological, or mechanical treatment plants or processed in neutralisers. Depending on the wastewater composition, it is treated in one or two facilities. Rainwater and meltwater from the branch area are purified using sedimentation tanks and separators
Ongoing activities resulting from operation and overhaul costs and the investment plan in PGE GiEK S.A. mines:
- Reduction of water consumption/withdrawal/discharge through:
- discharging water from lignite mines to field settling ponds for final water treatment by natural sedimentation of suspended solids supported by a plant filter, or to dedicated treatment plants ( KWB Bełchatów).
- the drainage system at the KWB Bełchatów Mine, which covers both underground and surface water is used to drain the rock mass to a degree enabling safe exploitation of lignite from fields Szczerców and Bełchatów.
- KWB Turów discharges mine water produced by surface drainage of the excavation, well water, and domestic wastewater into external watercourses. The quality of well water allows it to be discharged directly into external waters. The quantity and quality parameters of the discharged wastewater are governed by the requirements of the water permits held by the Branch. The quality and quantity of discharged water and wastewater is monitored on an ongoing basis
In 2024, the companies of the PGE CG carried out the following activities resulting from the Environmental Policy and Declaration on environmental policy:
Measures are being taken to limit water withdrawals, wastewater discharge and reduce the pollution load discharged with wastewater by optimising the operation of water treatment plants, upgrading them, and exploring design options for new plants.
In 2024, the companies of the PGE CG carried out the following activities resulting from the Environmental Policy and Declaration on environmental policy:
The use of reservoir levels for electricity production, water abstraction, and the discharge of wastewater and rain- and melt-water are adapted to seasonal water fluctuations. Quantitative records of groundwater and surface water abstraction are kept and tests and analyses of discharged wastewater are carried out to ensure compliance with water permit requirements.
In 2025, the investment ‘ZEW Porąbka-Żar – Separation of non-production water installation from hydrant installation’ is planned, which will improve the quality of process water in facilities and ensure an adequate supply of water for firefighting.
In 2024, the companies of the PGE CG carried out the following activities resulting from the Environmental Policy and Declaration on environmental policy:
The company’s gas and steam power plant was commissioned in 2024. The company’s ongoing activities are focused on:
- efficient water and wastewater management, i.e. optimising water consumption and withdrawals by keeping sewage facilities and equipment in good technical and operational condition,
- minimising water loss due to leaks,
- minimising pollutants washed away by rainwater by keeping the site clean.
The activities presented here are undertaken by the companies with the largest share in water withdrawals and consumption in the PGE CG (99.9%).
In the other companies, no significant activities related to water and marine resources have been reported, apart from e.g. ongoing operational activities, the optimisation of water consumption and abstraction, and compliance with threshold values specified in permits and sectoral decisions in order to minimise the environmental impact.