Poland boosts winter coal supplies with imports from Kazakhstan and Colombia

Poland's coal imports have risen sharply in the early part of 2026, with Kazakhstan delivering about 1.9 million tonnes and Colombia about 1 million tonnes. Kazakh coal travels via Russian railway infrastructure to ports such as Ust-Ługa on the Baltic Sea or Novorossiysk on the Black Sea before entering the EU, an arrangement permitted by a specific EU sanction exemption. Domestic mining output last year reached a little over 42 million tonnes, which is insufficient to meet the country's annual consumption that exceeds production by 8-10 million tonnes.

Some regions still have access to cheaper domestic coal, but overall imports are essential to cover the shortfall. Minister of State Assets Wojciech Balczun stated that there is no immediate danger of a coal shortage for the 2.8 million households that rely on it during winter.