Poland says power grid resilient despite record drought

Poland’s Energy Minister Milosz Motyka said Monday the country’s electricity infrastructure is prepared for extreme summer conditions as record-low water levels affect major river basins including the Vistula, though hydrologists warn that persistent drought could deepen the crisis in coming weeks.

Rivers reach record lows

Record-low levels have been recorded in parts of the San, Bug and Warta basins as well as sections of the upper and middle Vistula, according to Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW). Hydrologists noted that high temperatures, rainfall deficits and strong evaporation are pushing more rivers toward historic lows, with 61 percent of monitored stations already in the low-water zone by late July.

Generating units curtailed

The drought has already forced operational adjustments at the 1.8-gigawatt Polaniec power station on the Vistula in southeastern Poland, where operator Enea said one of eight generating units was unavailable earlier this month due to low water levels. At nearby Szczucin, the river was measured at 76 centimeters — just 12 centimeters above its previous record low — while industrial water supplies to an economic zone in Stalowa Wola on the San River have been suspended, according to local authorities.

Supply security emphasized

Despite these deteriorating conditions, Motyka sought to allay concerns over electricity supplies during heat waves earlier this month, stating: “Poland is prepared for this. Our system is resilient and prepared for such temperatures.” Polish grid operator PSE has also said there is currently no threat of electricity shortages and that adequate reserve capacity remains available, although solar generation can lose efficiency during extreme heat even as air conditioning demand rises. The current drought follows years of increasingly severe low-water episodes, with IMGW defining hydrological drought as occurring when river flows remain below the long-term SNQ threshold, indicating a sustained shortage rather than a temporary decline.