Messages about a “failure” appeared on the pumps at Orlen stations. Since Saturday morning, TVN24 reporter Karolina Wasilewska has been checking the situation at gas stations in Warsaw. She said that there are gas stations in the capital where there are no problems and there is a choice of fuel, but there are also some where there is no diesel or gasoline.
On Friday, Kontakt 24 received photos of gas pumps showing information about a lack of fuel or a note saying “failure”. The photos come from gas stations in various towns, including: Warsaw, Wałbrzych, Piaseczno, Tarnów, Kutno and Międzyrzecz Podlaskie.
Earlier, in the first days of September, Orlen sent a message to stations with a “new standard” for marking dispensers in situations of fuel shortage. “If all types of fuel are missing, all fuel markings/stickers should be covered with an A4 message with “Dispenser failure. We apologize for the inconvenience,” we read in the message.
In the response sent to TVN24 Biznes, Orlen emphasized that “currently, fuel deliveries to Orlen stations are carried out on an ongoing basis.” “The company ensures supply stability and has the appropriate amount of fuel to meet the needs of its customers,” it said.
Photos from the Orlen station at Powsińska Street in Warsaw (September 29, 2023)tvnwarszawa.pl/ Artur Węgrzynowicz
What is the situation at gas stations?
Since Saturday morning, TVN24 reporter Karolina Wasilewska has been checking the situation at Orlen gas stations in Warsaw.
As she said, one of the stations she visited was completely closed on Friday evening. – No reason was given that it was a failure due to lack of gasoline, so the reason could have been different, but it does not change the fact that the station was closed – she added.
– It’s open today. We saw how the pumps were being filled and now all types of fuel can be refueled at this gas station in Warsaw – she reported.
She said that there are gas stations in the capital where there are no problems and there are choice fuel, but there are also those that lack diesel, 95 or 98 petrol.
“There is no petrol”, “I wanted to refuel, there is a breakdown”TVN24
New “distributor marking standard”
On Friday, information appeared on social media about Orlen’s introduction of a new “standard for marking distributors” in situations where the selected type of fuel is missing. An entry on this issue was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by, among others, the president and chief economist of the Institute of Public Finance, Sławomir Dudek.
He attached a screenshot to the entry, which shows the content of an e-mail sent to the station by one of Orlen’s departments. According to the new standard, if the selected type of fuel is missing, a message about a pump failure will appear at the dispensers. “If all types of fuel are missing, all fuel markings/stickers should be covered with an A4 message with “Dispenser failure. We apologize for the inconvenience,” we read in the message.
The e-mail stated that “red labels with the information ‘temporary lack of fuel’ should not be used in the above-mentioned situations.”
Orlen’s position
Orlen’s press team explained in a response sent to TVN24 Biznes that the email came from the beginning of September and “resulted solely from the record demand we observed in connection with the end of the summer promotion.”
“During this time, there was a temporary (up to 2-3 hours) shortage of selected types of fuel at some stations. In response, the company strengthened its logistics, which allowed the situation to be quickly normalized,” Orlen assured.
The company emphasized that “currently, fuel deliveries to Orlen stations are carried out on an ongoing basis.” “The company ensures supply stability and has an adequate amount of fuel to meet the needs of its customers,” we read in the response.
The TVN24 Biznes editorial team asked whether, in connection with photos of pumps at stations in various parts of the country showing information about “lack of fuel” or “failure”, whether there have actually been problems with refueling in recent days. “We are constantly monitoring the situation at gas stations ” – replied the press team.
“In the event of a temporary shortage of any product, it is immediately replenished. We emphasize that ORLEN has the right amount of fuel to meet customer demand. It is only a matter of time needed to deliver the fuel to the point of sale. That is why we have strengthened our logistics forces and fuel deliveries. are up to date,” it added.
Orlen lowers fuel prices before the elections. He didn’t want to do this beforeTomasz Pupiec/Fakty po Południu TVN24
Orlen appeals to drivers
On Tuesday afternoon, Orlen posted on social media recording of fuel deliveries to stations belonging to the concern. – Fuel deliveries to Orlen stations and to our wholesale customers with whom we have concluded contracts are uninterrupted – assured Adam Kasprzyk, director of corporate communications at Orlen.
In the recording, Kasprzyk also appealed to drivers “not to buy fuel in reserve, so as to enable the normal work of the logistic forces serving the stations on a daily basis.”
In recent days, fuel analysts have pointed out that in many locations you can now refuel a liter of gasoline and diesel for less than PLN 6. Analysts of the e-petrol.pl industry portal pointed out that refueling costs in Poland “are falling despite the fact that there is an upward trend on oil markets and the Polish zloty is weakening in relation to the US dollar.”
Main photo source: TVN24