# Polish — Energy and Infrastructure Sub-Lexicon

Maps Polish energy and infrastructure vocabulary to correct English equivalents.
Covers the electricity, gas, heat and renewable sectors, O&G, regulatory framework
(URE), network access, PPAs, capacity market and public-investment projects.

## Regulatory Framework

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Prawo energetyczne | Energy Law |
| ustawa o odnawialnych źródłach energii (uOZE) | Renewable Energy Sources Act |
| ustawa o rynku mocy | Capacity Market Act |
| ustawa o efektywności energetycznej | Energy Efficiency Act |
| ustawa Prawo geologiczne i górnicze | Geological and Mining Law |
| Urząd Regulacji Energetyki (URE) | Energy Regulatory Office |
| Prezes URE | President of the Energy Regulatory Office |
| Ministerstwo Klimatu i Środowiska | Ministry of Climate and Environment |
| koncesja | license / concession |
| taryfa | tariff |
| zatwierdzenie taryfy | tariff approval |
| obowiązek sprzedaży zrealizowany na giełdzie | exchange mandatory-sale obligation |
| świadectwa pochodzenia | certificates of origin |
| certyfikaty efektywności energetycznej (białe certyfikaty) | energy efficiency certificates (white certificates) |

## Market Structure and Participants

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| operator systemu przesyłowego (OSP) | transmission system operator (TSO) |
| Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE) | PSE (Polish TSO) |
| operator systemu dystrybucyjnego (OSD) | distribution system operator (DSO) |
| operator systemu magazynowania | storage system operator |
| sprzedawca energii / dostawca | energy seller / supplier |
| sprzedawca z urzędu | default supplier |
| sprzedawca rezerwowy | reserve supplier |
| odbiorca końcowy | end user / final customer |
| odbiorca przemysłowy | industrial customer |
| gospodarstwo domowe | household customer |
| Towarowa Giełda Energii (TGE) | Polish Power Exchange (TGE) |
| rynek dnia następnego (RDN) | day-ahead market |
| rynek dnia bieżącego (RDB) | intraday market |
| rynek bilansujący | balancing market |
| rynek mocy | capacity market |
| aukcja mocy | capacity auction |
| obowiązek mocowy | capacity obligation |

## Energy Contracts

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| umowa sprzedaży energii elektrycznej | electricity sale agreement |
| umowa kompleksowa | comprehensive agreement (supply + distribution) |
| umowa o przyłączenie do sieci | grid connection agreement |
| umowa o świadczenie usług dystrybucji | distribution services agreement |
| umowa dystrybucyjna | distribution agreement |
| umowa przesyłowa | transmission agreement |
| warunki przyłączenia | grid connection conditions |
| taryfa przyłączeniowa | connection tariff |
| corporate PPA | corporate power purchase agreement (cPPA) |
| fizyczny PPA / wirtualny PPA | physical / virtual PPA |
| pay-as-produced / baseload | pay-as-produced / baseload structure |
| gwarancja pochodzenia | guarantee of origin |
| nabywca zobowiązany | obligated buyer |
| off-taker | off-taker |
| merchant tail | merchant tail |

## Renewables (OZE)

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| odnawialne źródła energii (OZE) | renewable energy sources |
| instalacja OZE | RES installation |
| farma wiatrowa | wind farm |
| farma fotowoltaiczna | photovoltaic farm |
| mikroinstalacja | micro-installation |
| prosument | prosumer |
| prosument energii odnawialnej | RES prosumer |
| system net-billing / net-metering | net-billing / net-metering |
| aukcja OZE | RES auction |
| zwycięzca aukcji | auction winner |
| cena zamknięcia aukcji | auction clearing price |
| wsparcie OZE | RES support |
| świadectwa pochodzenia (zielone / żółte / czerwone / fioletowe certyfikaty) | green / yellow / red / purple certificates |
| magazyn energii | energy storage |
| linia bezpośrednia | direct line |
| biometan | biomethane |
| biopaliwa | biofuels |
| wodór | hydrogen |

## Onshore / Offshore Wind

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| elektrownia wiatrowa na lądzie | onshore wind farm |
| elektrownia wiatrowa na morzu / offshore | offshore wind farm |
| ustawa odległościowa (10H) | "10H" Distance Act |
| ustawa o promowaniu wytwarzania energii elektrycznej w morskich farmach wiatrowych | Offshore Wind Act |
| morskie farmy wiatrowe (MFW) | offshore wind farms (OWF) |
| decyzja PSZW | offshore location permit |
| decyzja o przyłączeniu MFW | offshore grid connection decision |
| kontrakt różnicowy (CfD) | contract for difference (CfD) |

## Oil and Gas

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| ropa naftowa | crude oil |
| gaz ziemny | natural gas |
| LNG / skroplony gaz ziemny | liquefied natural gas (LNG) |
| terminal LNG w Świnoujściu | LNG terminal in Świnoujście |
| Baltic Pipe | Baltic Pipe |
| gazociąg / rurociąg | gas pipeline / pipeline |
| magazyn gazu | gas storage |
| zatłaczanie / odbiór | injection / withdrawal |
| koncesja na poszukiwanie i rozpoznawanie złóż | exploration and prospecting license |
| koncesja na wydobywanie kopalin | mining license |
| umowa o ustanowienie użytkowania górniczego | mining usufruct agreement |
| opłata eksploatacyjna | extraction fee |
| Krajowy Operator Systemu Gazowego (GAZ-SYSTEM) | Polish gas TSO |
| ORLEN | ORLEN (state-controlled oil and gas company) |
| PGNiG | PGNiG (legacy gas incumbent, merged with ORLEN) |

## Heat and District Heating

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| ciepło sieciowe | district heating |
| przedsiębiorstwo ciepłownicze | district heating company |
| węzeł cieplny | heat substation |
| dostawa ciepła | heat supply |
| sieć ciepłownicza | district heating network |
| kogeneracja / CHP | cogeneration / combined heat and power |
| wysokosprawna kogeneracja | high-efficiency cogeneration |

## Infrastructure and Public Investment

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| inwestycja infrastrukturalna | infrastructure investment |
| Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) | Central Communication Port |
| ustawa o CPK | CPK Act |
| Krajowy Program Kolejowy | National Railway Program |
| PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe | PKP Polish Rail Lines |
| Generalna Dyrekcja Dróg Krajowych i Autostrad (GDDKiA) | General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways |
| specustawa drogowa (ZRID) | Road Investment Special Act |
| decyzja ZRID | road investment decision |
| partnerstwo publiczno-prywatne (PPP) | public-private partnership (PPP) |
| ustawa o PPP | PPP Act |
| koncesja na roboty budowlane lub usługi | concession for works or services |
| ustawa o umowie koncesji | Concessions Act |

## Environmental and Emissions

| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| emisja CO₂ | CO₂ emissions |
| EU ETS / unijny system handlu uprawnieniami | EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) |
| uprawnienia do emisji EUA | EU emission allowances (EUAs) |
| CBAM (graniczny podatek węglowy) | Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) |
| Fit for 55 | Fit for 55 |
| Krajowy System Zielonych Inwestycji (GIS) | Green Investment Scheme |
| ustawa o handlu uprawnieniami do emisji | Emissions Trading Act |

## Notes

- **Prawo energetyczne**: Act of 10 April 1997. Foundational energy statute governing
  generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity, gas, heat and liquid
  fuels. Extensively amended to transpose EU electricity and gas packages. Establishes
  the licensing regime (koncesja).
- **URE (Urząd Regulacji Energetyki)**: Independent regulator. Competencies include
  granting licenses, approving tariffs, designating suppliers of last resort, overseeing
  unbundling, and imposing penalties. Independent appeal to the Court of Competition and
  Consumer Protection (SOKiK). Reference as "Energy Regulatory Office" on first mention.
- **Tariff approval**: Tariffs of regulated services (transmission, distribution,
  district heating) must be approved by the URE President. For retail electricity and
  gas supply to households, tariff approval applies — subject to phased liberalization.
  Commercial customers typically operate under freely-negotiated prices.
- **Capacity market (rynek mocy)**: Established in 2018. Capacity auctions (main, T-5
  and T-1) award capacity agreements. Providers earn capacity payments for making
  capacity available; subject to availability obligations and penalties for
  underperformance. Significant element of Polish electricity market design.
- **RES support schemes**: Evolution — (1) green certificates (2005–2016) + (2) RES
  auctions (since 2016) + (3) FiT / FiP for micro and small installations. The net-billing
  regime for prosumers entered into force 1 April 2022, replacing earlier net-metering.
- **"Ustawa odległościowa" (Distance Act)**: Act of 20 May 2016 imposes a minimum
  distance (10x turbine height) between onshore wind turbines and residential buildings
  and protected areas. Significantly constrained Polish onshore wind development.
  Amendments in 2023 allowed 700 m distance under certain conditions. Watch for further
  legislative changes.
- **Offshore Wind Act**: Act of 17 December 2020. Provides dedicated support framework
  for Polish Baltic offshore wind: first phase via government-granted CfDs; subsequent
  phases via auctions. Permitting involves multiple decisions (PSZW, connection, EIA)
  and a multi-year development cycle.
- **Corporate PPAs**: Growing Polish market for corporate PPAs, both physical and
  virtual (synthetic/CfD-based). Structural considerations include balancing
  responsibility, regulatory consents for delivery across DSO, and treatment of
  guarantees of origin. Flag when translating commercial structures.
- **EU ETS — Polish specifics**: Polish power sector has been a major EU ETS participant.
  Polish installations historically received substantial free allocations that are being
  phased down. CBAM and Fit for 55 package are reshaping the framework — expect
  substantial new legislation.
- **"Decyzja ZRID" (road investment decision)**: Under the Road Investment Special Act,
  a single administrative decision combines land-use, construction and expropriation
  authorizations for national road projects. Similar specustawa regimes exist for
  railways, airports (CPK), flood protection, and strategic investments.
- **CPK (Central Communication Port)**: Flagship Polish transport investment — planned
  hub airport with rail connections. Dedicated CPK Act creates special administrative
  regime. Project scope and timing have been subject to political revision — verify
  current status when translating.
- **"Koncesja" vs "pozwolenie"**: In Polish administrative law, a "koncesja" is a
  specific type of license granted for regulated activities (e.g., energy, mining,
  alcohol). Translate as "license" or "concession" depending on context. Distinguish
  from "koncesja na roboty budowlane" (construction concession) under concessions law.
