- 1 JanuaryOriginal date for zoning decisions requiring a general plan; later postponed.
- 15 AprilEnergy Law amendment published (Journal of Laws 2026 item 516).
- 30 AprilThe amendment takes effect: PLN 60 per kW advance, application fee, conditions valid one year, agreement lapse terms.
- 1 SeptemberZoning decisions on new applications only where a general plan is in force.
- 16 OctoberTransitional provisions take effect for connection agreements signed before the amendment.
Zoning decisions only in municipalities with a general plan
A zoning decision (WZ) on an application submitted from 1 September 2026 can be issued only if a general plan has entered into force in the municipality. Originally this deadline fell on 1 January 2026 and was later postponed.
For an investor, this means that before buying or leasing a plot without a local zoning plan (MPZP), it is necessary to check whether the municipality already has a general plan. Without one, the route through a zoning decision is closed.
Basis: Journal of Laws 2023 item 1688, Journal of Laws 2026 item 781
Grid connection: a higher advance payment, shorter validity of conditions
The amendment to the Energy Law announced on 15 April 2026 entered into force after 14 days, with the exceptions set out in the Act. The advance payment on an application for connection to a network above 1 kV rose from PLN 30 to PLN 60 per kW of connection capacity. An application fee was added: PLN 1 per kW.
Connection conditions for the electricity network are valid for one year from delivery, with the exceptions provided for in the Act. After the connection agreement is concluded, security of PLN 30 per kW is paid. Entities that received conditions before the change and have not yet concluded an agreement must, in specified cases, top up the advance payment.
Basis: Journal of Laws 2026 item 516, Journal of Laws 2026 item 43
Connection agreements lapse without a building permit
A connection agreement lapses by operation of law if the connecting entity does not notify the operator of a final building permit within the following period: 24 months from conclusion of the agreement for photovoltaic installations and storage facilities (at least 80% of capacity, and for storage also 80% of storage capacity), and 36 months for wind turbines and biogas installations.
In practice, the permitting schedule has to be set before the connection agreement is signed, not after.
Energy storage facilities by notification
Under the Building Law as worded in 2026, free-standing electricity storage facilities with a capacity above 30 kWh and up to 2000 kWh are built on notification rather than a building permit; the design is subject to fire-protection approval. Storage facilities with a total installed capacity above 50 kW are entered in the register of energy storage facilities kept by the operator.
Larger storage facilities, above 2000 kWh, fall outside this category, so for large farms with storage the route is determined separately for each element.
Basis: Journal of Laws 2026 item 524, Journal of Laws 2026 item 43