The contract relates the execution of steerable drilling under the beach necessary for routing 275 kV cable lines and the construction of so-called “connection couplers,” i.e. posts connecting offshore cable lines with onshore cable lines. The works will be carried out by a consortium of Polish companies – ROMGOS Gwiazdowscy and ZRB Janicki.
For the electricity produced by offshore wind farms to reach land, to the connection infrastructure, it is necessary to run subsea cable lines. The offshore section of the cable lines connects to the onshore section on land. The coastline crossing, which will make it possible to connect the offshore section of the cables to the onshore section, will be carried out using trenchless Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology. This is the least invasive way to install cable lines. It does not require – as in the case of traditional open excavation – the closure of part of the beach for the duration of construction work. It is a safe method, carried out at a considerable depth and allows preserving the tourist and natural values of the area where the work will be carried out.
Steerable drilling will allow four undersea export cables to be routed through four cable channels under the beach towards the onshore transformer station. Each channel will be about 1.2 kilometers long and have an outside diameter of about 90 centimeters. The cable lines along the entire stretch will be laid in the ground, in separate protective pipes. The contractors will provide full support of vessels to carry out this task. The cable installation itself is being carried out under a separate contract.
At the site of the very connection of the two sections of cable lines on land, the contractor will build four underground junction joints (TJB – Transition Joint Bay). The work will be carried out in the village of Lubiatowo in the commune of Choczewo, Wejherowo County.
PGE and Ørsted have already contracted all the necessary components for the Baltica 2 offshore wind farm, and have signed contracts for the installation of foundations, turbines and cables. The partners have also selected a general contractor for the onshore connection infrastructure. They have also obtained all the permits necessary to start construction work. The last step before construction begins will be for the investors to take the final investment decision (FID).
Baltica 2 is one of two stages of the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm – next to Baltica 3. PGE and Ørsted plan to deliver Baltica 2 of 1.5 GW capacity by the end of 2027 and Baltica 3 of 1 GW capacity by 2030. The project is subject to final investment decision. Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 will create the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm of 2,5 GW total capacity. It will contribute significantly to Poland’s green energy transition, delivering clean energy for nearly four million households in Poland.
Source: PGE
