Polish households face soaring coal prices as state mines await government orders
Coal sales by Polska Grupa Górnicza have risen sharply, while state mines remain idle pending directives from Warsaw, pushing prices up for consumers.
According to recent data, Polska Grupa Górnicza has sold considerably more coal than in the previous year, while state-owned mines have held back additional production pending a signal from Warsaw. Prices for eco-coal on private websites top 1,950 zł per tonne, and packaged coal can exceed 1,895 zł, with delivery times of three to four weeks. Major online retailers report backlogs of over a thousand customers, prompting some buyers to buy directly from mines such as Janina in Libiąż, where loose eco-coal costs 1,240 zł per tonne plus transport fees.
A customer ordering eight tonnes expects to spend about 11,500 zł, saving roughly 4,400 zł compared with bagged coal, but must wait until mid-November for collection. State firms like Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa say they could raise output by several hundred thousand tonnes, yet they lack the necessary government directive, and current regulations forbid selling raw coal for household heating.
Why it matters
Rising coal costs and supply delays threaten heating affordability for millions of Polish homes this winter.
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