With its tall chimneys, the two impressive cooling towers and the solid concrete block in the middle of them, the whole premises seem sublime and not decommissioned at all. And yet, the 20-hectare land somewhere in Poland was abandoned five years ago. We were told about security on the compound, and we were not sure about taking the risk at first.
It looked like the demolition of the plant was already well advanced. But the construction machines have been idle for some time, so we hoped that there was still plenty of interesting stuff to explore left behind. Unfortunately, we were already too late to see much of the cooling tower. The catwalk was removed and so, we only could enjoy the view from downstairs.
After five years of construction, this thermal power station started operation in 1960. With eight boilers and six turbines, the plant had enough capacity to provide power and hot water for the following centuries. With the growing demand, the site needed to be restructured multiple times. Later, it was decommissioned because of environmental restrictions and the development of the local heating market. In 2012, the plant started to shut down. In 2015, the decommissioning process ended.
Come visit the plant today to experience a great scenery for photographers and adventurous people. But it is also dangerous. There are piles of rubble everywhere. It all seems like it could fall apart at any moment. But as long as you mind your step, you can easily enjoy a mind-blowing view you will not find in your everyday life.
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