Połaniec

Połaniec is an urban-rural municipality located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, within Staszów County, with its seat in the town of Połaniec. From 1975 to 1998, the municipality was part of the Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship. It is best known for the Połaniec Power Plant, one of the largest thermal power plants in Poland, with a capacity of 1,800 MW, as well as the modern Green Block, opened in 2013, which has been recognized as the world's largest power unit fueled 100% by biomass. The municipality boasts a developed industrial infrastructure, including a subzone of the Special Economic Zone Starachowice, covering an area of 22.3 hectares, with over 41% of it already developed. Demographically, according to data from the end of 2017, the municipality was home to 11,901 people, representing a slight decrease compared to 2011, when the population was 12,046. Połaniec can also take pride in the Honorary Badge for Merits to the Development of the Polish Economy, awarded in 2015 by the Ministry of Economy. In 2002, the municipality's area was 74.92 km², of which 62% was agricultural land and 19% forest land. Covering 8.1% of the total area of Staszów County, the municipality exceeded the average income per capita, which in 2010 was PLN 6,387.79, although expenditures per capita were slightly higher, reaching PLN 6,985.51. The municipality includes numerous villages, such as Brzozowa, Zawada, and Tursko Małe. Połaniec is a place with rich cultural and industrial heritage, blending tradition with modernity while emerging as a key energy hub in the region, significantly influencing local development and the lives of its residents.