Below, we present the activities of PGE CG companies that have adopted the above-mentioned commitments under the Declaration on environmental policy and have potentially the greatest impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.
The PGE CG plans to take comprehensive actions to deeper explore issues related to biodiversity and ecosystems. As part of this work, an inventory of operating sites is planned to assess their impact on biodiversity. The results of this analysis will help define the objectives, tasks, indicators, and responsibilities for managing matters related to biodiversity and ecosystems. Due to the size and dispersion of the operating activities of the companies in the PGE Capital Group, it is difficult to determine the timeframe for the finalisation of the above actions at this point.
Nevertheless, the organisation takes legal requirements into account when planning and conducting its operations, and especially when implementing investment processes, and takes measures to compensate for the loss of biodiversity, such as loss avoidance, minimisation, and restoration and rehabilitation. The scale of investment projects carried out by the Group companies often requires them to obtain environmental decisions confirming compliance with environmental protection requirements. Often, this involves an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which analyses the impact of the project on air, water, soil, and fauna and flora. These studies also include minimisation and compensation measures.
Additionally, the PGE CG actively works to preserve and develop biodiversity. It engages in a number of partnerships and original projects to monitor, preserve, and develop ecosystems.
The companies of the Group follow good practices for the protection of the landscape and biodiversity, which consist of restoring habitats to conditions that enable ecosystems to function properly, supporting natural processes that have been disrupted, or rebuilding populations.
PGE GIEK S.A.
In 2024, as part of ongoing activities at PGE GiEK S.A. conventional power plants, efforts to counteract biodiversity loss were continued. The Company worked to preserve protected and rare plant species. The resulting ecosystems are constantly evolving environments and change and transform over time, with their biodiversity constantly increasing.
In 2024, as part of additional measures, the company created nesting and development conditions for falcons.
The power plant is located approx. 1 km from the Odra River, downstream of the point where the Mała Panew River flows into the former.
Currently, there are no protected areas such as nature reserves, national parks, protected zones for specific species of plants, animals or fungi, or spa protection areas within 12.5 km of the facility.
Among the additional measures implemented in the Branch, it was proposed to rehabilitate the Groszowice landfill site towards natural environmental succession. The geographical area of the landfill is a critical and valuable natural component in the dense urban structure of Opole and acts as an ecological island. It serves as a green space and biodiversity centre (especially the meadows and other agricultural areas north of the mining pit).
In 2024, as part of additional biodiversity activities, the Turów Power Plant and Turów Lignite Mine Branches were involved in the ongoing ‘Forests Full of Energy’ [Lasy pełne energii]. In April 2024, a forest clean-up was held in cooperation with the Pieńsk Forest District on a forest area near the village of Łagów (about 30 km north of the Power Plant).
As part of ongoing operations at the Bełchatów lignite mine, rehabilitation is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations in all areas where mining activities have already been discontinued. The measures implemented in 2024 to mitigate the negative impacts include:
- Completion of the rehabilitation of 11.8077 hectares of land in the Szczerców field.
- On 12 hectares of the internal landfill site of the Bełchatów field, a two-season afforestation process on 12 hectares has started. The afforestation is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
- Another 20 ha of the Szczerców field external landfill site was turfed. By 2025, the plan is to cover the last 39.8 hectares of the hilltop.
- The reforestation was completed for an area of 20.7 ha of the western slope. New work has begun on planting trees on 18.6 hectares of the landfill’s slopes
PGE GiEK S.A. Turów Lignite Mine Branch is actively working to preserve and develop biodiversity. In the vicinity of the mine, non-forest habitats, protected plant species, and forest habitats are monitored. In addition, environmental inspections of the fauna, flora, and mycobiota are conducted on an ongoing basis in cooperation with specialists as part of the environmental monitoring of the mine area.
The main task of the rehabilitation work at the Turów mine is to create a biotope for post-mining afforestation, taking into account the diversity of the microhabitats that are forming and increasing the value of the ecosystem coming into being. As a result of the rehabilitation work, dynamically growing multi-species tree stands are developing, forming components of the forest environment, including the soil and its specific microbial flora, as well as the local microclimate.
In 2024, as part of a biological restoration project, trees and shrubs were planted on an area of 4.128 hectares of a landscaped earth embankment located in the foreground of the excavations in the Białopole area. The scope of work included planting 10,010 trees and 4,352 shrubs.
PGE Energia Odnawialna S.A.
There are protected areas in the vicinity of PGE Energia Odnawialna S.A. facilities, namely Natura 2000 special areas of conservation (SAC). Technological processes, equipment operation and ongoing investments do not interfere with their biodiversity. Research makes it possible to understand the real impact of the company’s activities on the richness of species. Observations as part environmental monitoring have shown positive effects of the activities undertaken so far.
According to the environmental permit, 150-metre-wide green corridors were created between the different sections of the solar parks.
As the environmental impact report revealed a high level of bird and bat activity at the site, the wind turbines are temporarily switched off. If nests and hiding places are found to be nearby, turbines in locations where there is a potential for collision are not installed.
Measures to minimise the impact on ecosystems also include the creation of green corridors near large-scale PV parks or the installation of fences with openings that allow small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians to migrate, as well as not locating such parks within habitats, breeding sites, etc. Some water facilities contribute to the costs of re-stocking water areas.
PGE Dystrybucja S.A.
Office buildings owned by PGE Dystrybucja S.A. are not located within Natura 2000 sites or any other areas protected under the Nature Conservation Act of 16 April 2004. They are also not situated within major or minor green corridors. However, high-voltage power lines do run through protected areas, with various types of substations along them. Examples of sensitive and protected areas near PGE Dystrybucja’s infrastructure are listed in section SBM-3 above.
Key biodiversity-related activities undertaken in 2024 include:
- Tree clearing carried out by PGE Dystrybucja S.A., as required by law and mandated for the Distribution System Operator. These activities are necessary to ensure the grid’s operational capability in delivering electricity to end users in a safe, uninterrupted, and reliable manner. In contrast, the construction of underground cable lines helps reduce the scope of tree and shrub removal typically required beneath overhead lines.
- Under an agreement with the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (PTOP), the 2017–2024 project “Protecting the White Stork in the River Valleys of Eastern Poland” was implemented. Its primary goal was to reduce white stork mortality caused by electric shock. In 2024 alone, company staff installed 700 stork nest platforms and bird deterrent perches, which prevent birds from landing on live network components, thereby protecting them from electrocution.
PGE Energetyka Kolejowa S.A., PGE Energetyka Kolejowa Holding Sp. z o.o., PGE Energetyka Kolejowa Obsługa Sp. z o.o., PGE Energetyka Kolejowa Centrum Usług Wspólnych Sp. z o.o.
In Railway Energy Services, efforts are being made to minimise the impact of operations on biodiversity and ecosystems. Key biodiversity-related activities undertaken in 2024 include:
- The Power System Modernisation Programme (MUZa), which ensures that newly built or upgraded power facilities are equipped with safeguards to prevent electric shock incidents involving birds and other animals.
- Ongoing maintenance of the GIS Mapper application, which integrates a broad range of environmental data, including nature conservation designations, RAMSAR sites, green corridors, and natural resource information from the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ). The Mapper enables verification of nature protection zones in the vicinity of PGE Energetyka Kolejowa facilities and supports environmentally informed planning decisions.
No significant biodiversity or ecosystem-related initiatives were identified or implemented in the other companies of the PGE CG.