As planned, construction of the offshore section of the first Polish Baltic Power offshore wind farm, a joint project between ORLEN Group and Northland Power, began in January. The first monopiles, i.e. the main elements of the foundations, were successfully installed on the farm. Ultimately, 78 foundations for turbines and offshore substations will be built at sea, followed by the installation of wind turbines, substations and the submarine cables connecting them. These are the first such operations in Polish Baltic waters.
Baltic Power’s offshore construction site has an area of approximately 130 km2 – comparable to the size of the city of Gdynia. Within its area, 78 monopiles will be installed. These are steel structures with a length of up to 100 m, a weight of up to 1,700 tonnes and a diameter of more than 9 m (more than the diameter of a metro tunnel). The monopiles are embedded in the seabed by a floating installation crane, which drives them into the seabed at a depth of about 40 metres. Last year, the vessel underwent an upgrade, increasing its lifting capacity to 4,500 tonnes and its height to 125 metres, so that it can handle foundation installations for such large turbines as those planned to be installed at the Baltic Power farm (15 MW). This is its first mission following the expansion of its operational capacity.
– Our new strategy is all about concreteness and action. This can be seen in the example of Poland’s first offshore wind farm. After several months of very intensive work, we are pleased to announce that the first foundations of the Baltic Power farm have been installed. The year 2025 will be a landmark year for this project. Hundreds of our employees will be carrying out the largest ever offshore installation work, so that energy from the Baltic Sea will flow to consumers for the first time as early as 2026. It is a clean, stable and safe source of energy that will drive the Polish economy. It is Polish companies that will grow together with our project. This is the energy of tomorrow, which started today – says Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN.
In addition to the installation crane, more than a dozen other vessels are working simultaneously on the offshore construction site: support vessels, tugboats, vessels for transporting personnel and equipment, environmental monitoring vessels and surveillance vessels. All work and sea traffic around the farm under construction is supervised 24/7 by Baltic Power’s Marine Coordination Centre. Weather conditions are a factor that has a decisive influence on the work and its pace.
Subsequently, the offshore construction site will see the installation of the transition elements connecting the foundations to the turbines, the offshore wind turbines, the offshore substations and the cables connecting them to the turbines, as well as the cables exporting the produced energy to land. The installation work will last until 2026.
– The installation of the first foundations of the Baltic Power wind farm marks an important moment in the development of offshore wind energy in Poland. We are proud of our cooperation with the ORLEN Group on this pioneering project. As partners in the construction of Poland’s first offshore wind farm, we are pleased to be able to bring our global experience in the implementation of such projects to this project.This achievement not only confirms our collective progress, but also strengthens our resolve. Safety remains our top priority at every stage, allowing us to maintain the highest standards in all aspects of the project. Today’s milestone is testament to the strong partnership between Northland and ORLEN Group and further strengthens our shared commitment to Poland’s energy future – says Christine Healy, President & CEO of Northland Power Inc.
At the same time, the onshore infrastructure of the farm is under construction. In Osieki Lęborskie in the Choczewo municipality, construction of an onshore substation is underway to transmit the energy produced to the national system operator. The works have already reached approx. 65% advanced, construction is expected to be completed at the turn of 2025 and 2026. In nearby Lubiatowo, 2 of the 4 steerable drillings for cable connections, which are being carried out underground to protect the valuable natural areas of the dunes and beaches, have also been completed. In Łeba, on the other hand, work is being completed on the construction of the Baltic Power service base, which will service the farm for approximately 30 years of operation.
The Baltic Power offshore wind farm, a joint venture between ORLEN and Northland Power, is the most advanced offshore wind project in Poland and the first to reach the construction phase. In 2023, the project received the final investment decision (FID) and financing from 25 international institutions in the project finance model. The onshore infrastructure of the wind farm has been under construction since 2023, and offshore installation works started in January 2025. Baltic Power will be one of the first farms in the world to install 15 MW wind turbines. With planned completion in 2026, Baltic Power will be the first Polish offshore wind farm operating in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Power will generate approximately 4,000 GWh of clean electricity per year, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 2.8 million tonnes per year compared to production from conventional sources.
Source: Baltic Power
