Construction of the one-kilometer-long embankment that would block the view of the mine was among the requirements specified by the Czech side in order to bring to a close a dispute over the mine.

The Czech Republic had previously called the mine an eyesore and demanded Poland shut the site down completely, citing the mine draining the Czech water supply as the reason for the request.

The dispute over the mine eventually prompted the Czech Republic to sue Poland in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) back in February 2021 over alleged violations of water, environmental, and impact assessment rules at the Turów mine.

According to PGE GiEK, the state company in charge of fossil fuel mines and fossil-fuel-operated power plants, the embankment is 5 meters tall, approximately 50 meters at its base, and just over one kilometer in length. Furthermore, more than 14,000 young deciduous and coniferous trees of various species, as well as shrubs, were planted on top of the embankment.

Another part of the agreement involved the construction of an underground barrier that would prevent the drainage of groundwater on the Czech side of the border. This has also been completed, and according to PGE GiEK, the barrier is being tested for effectiveness. The company reported that the groundwater table has risen by more than 4.6 meters.

Turów lignite mine

The Turów complex is responsible for approximately 7% of Poland’s national electricity production, which covers the needs of around 3.2 million households. For this reason, the Polish government considered a complete shutdown of the mine an unacceptable proposition.

Poland and the Czech Republic finally came to an agreement on how to resolve the issue in 2022. The construction of the embankment was completed in less than a year, having begun in July 2023.

In spite of that, Poland has faced penalties imposed by the European Union for refusing to shut Turów down. As a result, €68.5 billion has been deducted from various EU funds available to Poland. Despite Poland’s appeal, at the end of May 2024, the CJEU said that their decision to fine Poland was justified.

The Turów mine is currently working on meeting the other requirements demanded by the Czech Republic after the trial, namely addressing issues regarding noise, air, and land pollution generated by the mine.