The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €600 million to ORLEN – one of the biggest state-owned Polish energy companies. This 3.5 billion zloty investment will play an important role in helping to expand and modernize Poland’s electricity network. This funding included in the broader RePowerEU initiative will help move the EU to a net zero-emissions power grid. You can continue to draw on the loan as needed up until 2027. What’s more, you’ll have up to 15 years to repay it starting from when you first receive the money.
EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska underlined the strategic significance of this investment for Poland’s economy.
"This underlines our strong commitment to a genuine and fair green transition, development of modern energy infrastructure and energy security for Poland and the European Union."
This funding will help Energa Operator, an ORLEN subsidiary, bring on 350,000 new residential customers. It also ensures 9GW of renewable generation can connect to the grid. Additionally, it will help advance the company’s metering technology toward a smart grid-compatible infrastructure. The European Union plans to scale up clean energy including wind and solar. This initiative is one step in our broader goal to be climate neutral by the middle of the 21st century.
The investment seeks to reduce Poland's dependence on energy imports, reinforcing the nation's energy security. In February 2025, Energa Operator was boosted by an additional 7.5 billion zlotys worth of EIB funding, provided by the National Recovery Plan. This additional increase supercharges its already ambitious investment programme.
We are optimistic about the EIB financial backing, as ORLEN Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President of the Management Board Magdalena Bartoś noted.
"This record-high financing from the European Investment Bank is a strong vote of confidence in our growth strategy. We have an ambitious yet well-structured plan that will not only create value for our shareholders but also contribute to the broader economy."