Energy Weekly Publications #35 Financial aid for energy-intensive industry

ENERGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRY
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16 October 2023

Until the 8th of November 2023, energy-intensive companies can apply for support under the government’s program ‘Aid to energy-intensive industry related to natural gas and electricity prices in 2023’. The total budget is as much as PLN 5.5 billion.

The aim of the program is to provide financial support to cover eligible costs for energy-intensive industries bearing additional costs related to high electricity and natural gas prices in 2023. Support is provided in the form of basic aid (refunds) or increased aid (advance form).

The amount of financial aid will be calculated on the basis of the eligible costs incurred for the purchase of electricity or gas in the first and second half of 2023 (for basic aid) and throughout the year (for increased aid). However, the maximum level of support in the form of refunds may not exceed 50% of the eligible costs and EUR 4 million. In the case of advance form, the aid cannot exceed 80% of eligible costs and EUR 40 million.

The applicant for the basic aid can only be a company from the energy-intensive industry:

  • whose electricity and natural gas costs in 2021 accounted for at least 3% of their sold production value and
  • which in the last closed financial year obtained a min. 50% of revenue or production value from activities in one or more of the PKD subclasses included in sections B (mining and extraction) and C (manufacturing).

Support in the form of increased aid can only be applied by entities from sectors identified by the EC as particularly vulnerable to loss of competitiveness.

The operator of the support scheme is the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. It was prepared on the basis of the provisions of the Act of 29 September 2022 on the principles of implementation of programs of support for entrepreneurs in connection with the situation on the energy market in the years 2022-2024.

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CONTACT

Marek Grzywacz, Ph.D., Counsel
marek.grzywacz@ngllegal.com

Małgorzata Biszczanik, Intern
malgorzata.biszczanik@ngllegal.com