The PLN 2 billion incinerator still hasn't opened. But it has already burned 125,000 tons of waste.

• Since December 2024, heated riots have been ongoing at the incineration plant in Warsaw's Targówek district.
• The construction contract was signed by President Rafał Trzaskowski over four years ago – on November 30, 2020.
• The initial deadline for opening the plant was not met. Similarly, the one stipulated in last year's annex to the agreement was postponed until July 2024.

The incinerator in Warsaw's Targówek district has been undergoing intense start-up operations since December 2024. Since then, the facility has processed thousands of tons of waste, but it has not yet officially opened.

President Rafał Trzaskowski signed the construction contract on November 30, 2020. The contractor, the Korean company Posco, committed to completing the project after 36 months, in November 2023. However, this deadline was not met. Similarly, the deadline set in last year's annex to the contract was postponed until July 2024.

We asked the Warsaw Municipal Waste Management Office about what was happening at the incinerator in April:

"Hot commissioning, which includes final testing and calibration of all installations at the modernized Warsaw Power Plant, is currently underway at Zabraniecka Street. Hot commissioning is the final, crucial step before the plant is commissioned, meaning it will begin operating according to design parameters (at full capacity)," the company wrote in its response at the time.

What has changed in the last four months?

In June, the Warsaw Power Plant (formerly ZUSOK) received an occupancy permit. According to the Municipal Power Plant (MPO), over 125,000 tons of waste have been thermally processed so far during commissioning work.

As it turns out, tests are still underway at the thermal waste treatment plant:

We are currently in the final stages of technical testing and verification of guaranteed parameters, which will confirm that the installation completed by the general contractor meets the requirements set . At the same time, we are intensively training our staff to ensure efficient and safe operation of the plant.

- informs the MPO.

When asked about the opening of the plant, the municipal company gives a vague answer that " the official opening will take place after the contractor completes all tests and confirms the guaranteed parameters ."

The contractor, POSCO, announced on May 7 that the project to expand and modernize the former ZUSOK is nearing completion.

"We are inspecting and testing all infrastructure and installation elements. We are conducting finishing work to ensure the project meets the investor's high expectations. We are also undergoing further formal and legal procedures to obtain an occupancy permit," the company announced.

MPO also reported that part of the plant, i.e. the sorting plant (built under a separate agreement with another contractor), which is an integral part of the investment, has been completed, has passed performance tests, has been accepted and is operational.

The Warsaw Energy Plant (WWE) is a Municipal Waste Thermal Treatment Facility (WWE) located in Warsaw's Targówek district. WWE is one of the largest plants of its kind in Europe. It will be capable of managing and converting over 260,000 tons of post-process waste (non-recyclable) and mixed municipal waste (from the so-called black bag) into energy and heat annually. The general contractor for the expansion and modernization of the plant on Zabraniecka Street is the Korean company POSCO Eco&Challenge Co., Ltd.

At the time of signing the contract, the incineration plant was to cost almost PLN 2 billion gross (approx. PLN 1.667 billion net), but as it turned out, it will be significantly more expensive .