Energy storage systems may be disconnected from the grid. New regulations and fines up to 500,000 PLN - GLOBENERGIA

Energy storage systems with a capacity exceeding 50 kW are now subject to new obligations toward grid operators. Failure to provide required data or to comply with commands may result in fines of up to 500,000 PLN, and in cases of serious violations, the installation may be disconnected from the grid for a maximum of 24 hours.

Michał Jakubiec

An energy storage system can draw electricity from the grid at one moment and feed it back with high power the next. For the owner, this is a way to profit from energy price differentials or to increase self-consumption. For the grid operator, such fluctuations necessitate appropriate management of energy flows. Therefore, new regulations governing the cooperation between energy storage owners and grid operators take effect on October 31, 2026. Violations of specific requirements may result in substantial fines, and in particular cases, the temporary disconnection of the installation.

New regulations for energy storage systems. What has changed?

The changes stem from the Act of 18 September 2026 amending the Energy Law, published in the Journal of Laws under item 1348. Most of the amendments entered into force on 17 October, while the provisions concerning the transmission of information on the operation of energy storage systems and generation sources began to apply two weeks later.

The new Articles 9ja–9je of the Energy Law define the obligations to cooperate with system operators and the consequences of their breach. The changes pertain to the safety of the power system, in particular the ability to forecast changes in energy consumption and supply by connected installations.

Energy storage systems above 50 kW. Who is subject to these obligations?

The key threshold is an installed electrical capacity exceeding 50 kW. The regulations cover businesses engaged in energy storage, as well as other owners of such installations connected to the grid, subject to statutory exclusions.

It is important to note the units of measurement. The threshold applies to power expressed in kW, which indicates how quickly the storage system can draw or deliver energy. Capacity, expressed in kWh, refers to the amount of energy that can be stored. Therefore, a storage system with a large capacity may not exceed the statutory power threshold. The new regulations also provide for exclusions for certain storage systems operating within prosumer micro-installations.

What information must be provided to the grid operator?

The amendment introduces three categories of data essential for system management. Structural data describe the installation's configuration and location. Real-time data provide information on the energy storage system's current operation. In turn, graphical data pertain to planned availability as well as forecasted energy consumption and injection. Entities covered by the regulations must also comply with the relevant directives issued by grid operators.

Why is this necessary? Consider an energy storage system with a capacity of 1 MW that finishes charging and begins discharging energy into the grid. From the perspective of power flows, this represents a change of up to 2 MW. If multiple storage systems behave similarly at the same time, the impact on infrastructure load could be substantial.

As explained by the Ministry of Energy, operators require more precise data to mitigate the risk of disruptions caused by sudden changes in installation operation. The detailed rules for information transmission will derive, among other things, from grid operation and maintenance instructions as well as contracts with operators.

Fines of up to 500,000 PLN and a 24-hour disconnection

The most severe consequences have been established for entities that fail to fulfill their statutory obligations to cooperate with the grid operator. In accordance with the amended Article 56 of the Energy Law, the financial penalty for the specified violations ranges from 1,000 to 500,000 PLN. The law provides for the imposition of penalties cumulatively for instances of non-fulfillment of specific obligations identified within a given quarter.

A separate authority of the grid operator is the ability to temporarily limit the withdrawal or injection of energy, or even to disconnect the energy storage system from the grid. Such a measure may be applied in cases of gross violation of data requirements or failure to execute the operator's commands. The maximum duration of the limitation is 24 hours. The regulations also specify that the owner is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for a properly applied limitation or disconnection based on these provisions.

Another deadline for aggregators: February 1, 2027

Although the core regulations have been in effect since the end of October, some requirements will be applied later. In accordance with Article 8 of the amendment, from February 1, 2027, the specified obligations regarding graphical data submitted by aggregators and authorized sellers, as well as the transmission of certain real-time data by these entities, will begin to apply.

Simultaneously, the transmission system operator has three months to prepare and submit amendments to its operating instructions for approval. Subsequently, distribution system operators will adapt their respective documents accordingly.

For companies operating energy storage facilities, this means they must assess the scope of obligations arising from their capacity, connection method, and business model.

As large-scale battery systems develop, operators require increasingly precise information on when installations will draw from and feed energy into the grid. The new regulations align with this shift: energy storage facilities are becoming active components of the power system, and their operational mode has implications that extend beyond the owner’s own installation.