Humanities and Social Sciences 2016 HSS, vol. XXI, 23 (2/2016), pp. 49-62 April - June Lidia GAWLIK 1 Tomasz MIROWSKI 2 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLISH POWER SECTOR IN THE LIGHT OF CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION The paper analyzes the possible directions of development of the Polish electricity sector by 2050 in terms of its adaptation to the EU requirements. The analysis was performed for different scenarios of development of CCS technology, nuclear energy development conditions and forecasted fuel prices on the domestic market, assuming the EU's targets for energy and climate policy. Strategic directions of sector development, taking into account investments in gas-fired and nuclear power plants were considered. Position of coal in the future fuel structure of Polish electricity generation and its conditions were discussed. The costs of electricity production in the analyzed scenarios are set out. The areas of government activityessential for strategic decisions determining the direction of development of the energy sector in Poland are presented. The presented studies assumed equal preferences for all types of fuels and technologies while assuming the market prices of fuels. The Government, determining the desired directions of development of the sector, can stimulate their development by creating preferences, such as preferential tax treatment. Essential is active participation of the Polish government in setting the specific targets valid for European countries in future. Without denying the need to reduce emissions, Poland should have an impact on the choice of quantity and quality of indicative targets, which will have to be met. A target to reduce emissions should not be accompanied by further objectives. For example, a target to increase share of renewable energy sources limits the development of energy mix. Keywords: energy policy, energy security, electricity. 1. INTRODUCTION The transformations that have taken place in the world over the last decades covered all aspects of life. Broadly understood changes affect the society, economy and environmental resources. Natural resources are the wealth of every country. Currently, the importance of natural resources, especially energy sources converted into usable energy, is particularly important as 1 Lidia Gawlik, DSc, Eng., Associate Professor of The Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, corresponding author: lidia.gawlik@min-pan.krakow.pl, Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 2 Tomasz Mirowski, PhD., Eng., Assistant Professor, tomasz.mirowski@min-pan.krakow.pl, Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków