Polish PKW requests 4 billion zlotys to sustain Sobieski mine after completing Grzegorz shaft

After almost 20 years of work, the Południowy Koncern Węglowy (PKW) completed the Grzegorz shaft at the Sobieski coal mine in Jaworzno. The 600‑metre deep shaft, which cost about 700 million zlotys, is described by the company as the "foundation of the future" because it will enable extraction of the Dąb coal deposit. First production using the shaft is planned for the fourth quarter of 2027, and the mine is expected to operate until 2049 under a social contract.

PKW and the Polska Grupa Górnicza have asked the Ministry of Energy for an additional 4 billion zlotys to keep the mine financially liquid. The mine will supply low‑chlorine coal to the Jaworzno power plant, feeding a new 910 MW block built at a cost of 6.5 billion zlotys after previous outages caused by poor‑quality coal. The Grzegorz shaft is a material‑haulage tunnel, not a production shaft, and also improves ventilation in the mine.

PKW runs three sites – Sobieski, Janina and Brzeszcze – employing roughly 6,000 workers. The Polish coal sector reported a net loss of 1.75 billion zlotys in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring the financial pressure on the industry.