ENEA Operator on ELSA conference

On 16 and 17 April 2013 in the Hall of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań a Conference took place under the banner of "Infrastructure and Environment in the energy sector". The key partner of the conference was ENEA Operator.

The conference organised by the European Law Students' Association in Poznań - is a continuation of the International Conference on Energy Law and a Polish Conference "Energy market in a new perspective". This year's edition focused on very important issues regarding challenges for the energy sector in Poland and Europe, extension of the energy infrastructure and environment protection. Among the discussed topics there were also notions of legal and economic nature. Among the speakers there were traditionally representatives of the academic environment, lawyers, economists, journalists and power engineers.

The special ceremony of the conference opening was performed by prof. dr hab. Krystian Ziemski from the Faculty of Law and Administration of UAM, who acted as the meeting moderator. Among speakers and panellists there were e.g. prof. dr hab. Anna Walaszek – Pyzioł (Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University), dr Robert Zajdler representing the Sobieski Institute, dr Piotr Lisoń (Faculty of Law and Administration of UAM) and dr Mariusz Swora (Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University, President of ERO during 2007-2010). ENEA Operator was represented by Artur Różycki, President of the Board of the Company, dr Przemysław Zaleski, Vice-President for Commercial Affairs and dr Krzysztof Hajdrowski, Head of the Strategy and Project Management Office.

The meeting and the first discussion panel "Extension of the national power system" was inaugurated by the President of ENEA Operator, Artur Różycki.  It was mainly devoted to the energy sector. Presentation of the President Artur Różycki related to the scope and nature of planned national grid investments. In his speech he emphasised that investments in grids constitute the basic area of operations of all the Distribution Network Operators and the planning of grid investments is a strategic action. Investments in the energy infrastructure are one of the key tools of realisation of the energy policy of Poland, as a member of the European Union. A particular attention was paid to the fact of planning development activities within the investment and their being agreed with the President of the Energy Regulatory Office, which as a result leads to the development of an investment strategy being a part of the energy policy of Poland.  President Różycki emphasised that the Polish grid situation is not bad, however on the background of most European states we have much work to do.

He also emphasised the importance of a close cooperation between self-government authorities and the Distribution System Operator, especially within the development of the plan of providing media for the commune (heat, electricity and gas fuels). In its speech he also paid the attention to the Draft project on transmission corridors, which may affect the realisation of the plans of construction of power grids, gas, fuel and oil distribution networks in Poland, which are necessary for the improvement of the Polish energy security.

At the end of the first panel the organisers predicted an open plenary discussion for all the Conference participants. Exchange of opinions, beliefs and experiences between the panel participants, and also questions of auditors additionally enriched the conference to a great extent. Another panel focused on the notion of new generating capacity and in particular on the present condition of the energy sector and construction law in Poland, and on the future of the Polish energy engineering industry.

On the second day of the Conference a climate policy of the European Union was discussed, as well as notions relating to the climate and energy package, trade in emissions and clean coal technologies. The last panel on the second day of the conference treated on renewable energy sources, proposals of an economic support for RES and new rules relating to this market in the context of cogeneration, microinstallation, distributed generation and related legal issues.