Alexander Medvedev, the president of Russia’s oil giant Gazprom has said that with the company’s help Poland could switch to gas for its electricity production, which would help reduce its reliance on CO2 emitting coal.

“If I'm not mistaken, Poland produces over 90 percent of its electricity from coal,” Medvedev told the Puls Biznesu daily.

“If that energy was produced from natural gas then Poland could reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50 percent. The EU plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 20 percent, compared to 1990 levels. But Poland could achieve this much faster by replacing coal with natural gas for electricity generation,” he said.

Gazprom is looking for further opportunities to invest in Poland, says Medvedev, particularly in the electricity generating sector.

“Our cooperation with Polish companies has been very successful and we are looking for opportunities to further develop this,” he said.

It was announced last week that Poland's state gas delivery monopoly Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (PGNiG) and Gazprom are planning joint energy and mining projects. Working groups are to discuss the construction of gas power stations in the south-east of Poland, according to media reports. (pg)