Amendment to the Energy Law 2026 – key changes for investors and the energy market

On April 30, 2026, the amendment to the Energy Law came into force, representing one of the most important reforms in the sector in recent years. As indicated by the legislator, its primary goal is to streamline the connection process to the grid and support the development of renewable energy sources, energy storage, and biogas plants. These changes are of significant importance for the energy transformation in Poland and are part of the so-called anti-blackout package.

Due to the broad scope of changes, below we present a synthetic summary of the most important regulations. Detailed analyses of individual issues will be published on our website progressively.

Reform of the connection process

The amendment simplifies the formalities related to applying for a connection to the grid. The obligation to submit planning documents and proof of legal title to the property has been replaced with a declaration, with the stipulation that the operator may request the applicant to submit the appropriate documents.

The validity period of connection conditions has also been shortened from two years to one year, which is intended to reduce the blocking of connection capacities and accelerate investment implementation.

A 60-day deadline has been introduced for the operator to verify the completeness of the application. In the event of refusal to conclude a connection agreement (for voltage above 1 kV), the investor has 6 months to refer the matter to the President of URE.

Additionally, operators have been required to implement IT systems that allow for online application submissions and tracking their status.

Milestones in connection agreements

The new regulations introduce the obligation to achieve so-called milestones. Connection agreements (for voltage above 1 kV) will expire by operation of law if the investor does not obtain the required construction permits within a specified time.

The deadlines are as follows:

1) 24 months – for photovoltaic installations and energy storage,

2) 36 months – for wind farms and biogas plants,

3) 60 months – for railway infrastructure.

Expansion of the cable pooling formula

The possibility of sharing a connection (so-called cable pooling) has been expanded to all types of installations and energy storage. Previously, this solution was available only for renewable energy sources.

Increased entry threshold for investors

The advance payment for the connection fee has been raised from 30 PLN to 60 PLN per kW of power (up to a maximum of 6 million PLN).

A non-refundable fee for processing the application (1 PLN/kW, max. 100,000 PLN) has also been introduced, along with the obligation to establish a security for the performance of the connection agreement.

Facilitations for biogas plants

The amendment provides special preferences for biogas plants. They are guaranteed the ability to inject energy into the grid with guaranteed power for at least 14 hours a day (from March to September).

In situations threatening the operation of the system, they will be curtailed last. Additionally, the obligation to prepare an impact assessment on the system has been abolished – provided a declaration of readiness to reduce power is submitted.

Contracts with a fixed energy price

A definition of a fixed-term contract with a guaranteed fixed price has been introduced. Sellers serving more than 200,000 customers will be required to offer such contracts for a period of at least one year.

The price and terms of the contract will remain unchanged throughout its duration (except for elements independent of the seller). The contract cannot be terminated before the deadline.

More than one contract for one connection

Customers have been given the opportunity to enter into more than one energy sales contract within one connection and to create an additional energy consumption point – without the need to obtain new connection conditions (provided that the connection capacity is not exceeded).

Expanded informational obligations

Energy sellers will be required to provide clear and comparable information about the offered contracts, including costs, risks, and pricing principles.

Obligation to inform about available connection capacities by operators

Operators will publish information about available connection capacities, submitted applications, and refusals (along with justifications).

This data will be updated:

1) monthly – by the transmission system operator,

2) at least quarterly – by distribution operators.

The largest operators (serving at least 100,000 customers) will also prepare uniform rules for processing connection applications.

Other changes

The rules regarding energy generated during the commissioning period of installations have been clarified – its sale will be possible not only on the balancing market but also on short-term markets.

An obligation to implement risk management strategies by energy trading companies has also been introduced, which is intended to increase supply security and financial stability of enterprises.

Additionally, the amendment specifies solutions aimed at protecting consumers affected by energy poverty and expands the catalog of support instruments related to settling energy debts.

To discuss the impact of the discussed amendment on your business and to assess risks and benefits, we invite you to contact us.