Equinor has selected the Polish company Erbud as the contractor for the construction of an operations and service base in Leba.
The realisation of the construction of the service base in Leba is crucial for the operation of the Bałtyk 2 and 3 offshore wind farms under construction in the Baltic Sea, a joint venture between Equinor and Polenergia. The base will permanently employ several dozen highly qualified specialists. Equinor’s aim is that as many employees as possible come from the local labour market. The new jobs created and the need for cooperation with the local supply chain have the potential to open a new chapter in the history of Leba and the region.
– The base will be the service and maintenance centre for our wind farms on the Baltic Sea for several decades. At the same time, this venture will create opportunities for the development of the town and the region and will significantly increase the possibility of finding attractive, stable employment on the local labour market. I am glad that a Polish company will be responsible for the construction of this important element of the infrastructure of the Bałtyk 2 and 3 wind farms – says Michał Jerzy Kołodziejczyk, CEO of Equinor in Poland.
Erbud will build on the revitalised harbour area a modern, environmentally and people-friendly office space, a remote control and control centre for offshore wind farms, a warehouse for spare parts and a wharf for mooring vessels. Preparatory work on the site of the future base began in late 2024/early 2025, construction of the facilities is scheduled to begin in March 2025 and the facility is expected to be operational in mid-2026.
Design and local materials
The operations and maintenance base has been designed as an energy-efficient facility. The buildings will be powered in part by renewable energy from the company’s own PV panels, and indoor heat will be generated by heat pumps. In addition, the buildings will be equipped with recuperation systems and also rainwater harvesting and utilisation.
The base, which is being built on a 1.5-ha plot of land, will be able to be expanded successively, adapting it to the needs of the operations over the entire approx. 30-year lifetime of the offshore wind farms. Thanks to its 140-metre-long quay, it will be able to simultaneously accommodate up to four vessels designed to transport workers (so-called CTVs) to operate the wind farms.
The low-rise building blocks, comprising a warehouse and an office area (both approx. 1,000m2 with scope for expansion), will blend in with the surrounding landscape. The design assumes the use of regionally sourced pine or spruce timber and cooperation with local timber suppliers and contractors. As many of the new materials used in the construction as possible are designed to meet parameters that will allow them to be reused in the future.
Employee-friendly architecture
A facility designed to be environmentally neutral will also feature user-friendly solutions. Equinor and the designers have envisaged numerous elements for a healthy and pleasant working environment. A friendly working environment will be created by, among other things, making maximum use of daylight through the use of large glazed areas, planning recreational space and a high proportion of greenery. The interior design will be based on natural materials, and comfort will also be influenced by recuperation, which improves indoor air quality.
Onshore heart of offshore wind farms – development of Leba and the region
Thanks to the planned investments, Leba has the chance to become one of the operational centres for the newly emerging offshore wind energy sector. The new jobs and supply needs created will provide opportunities for cooperation with the local supply chain and open a new chapter in the maritime tradition of Leba and the region.
Leba is also home to the Bałtyk Offshore Wind Farm Information Centre. It is Poland’s first year-round information and education point on offshore wind energy. One of its most important tasks is to spread knowledge about the joint projects being carried out in the Baltic Sea by Equinor and Polenergia.
Equinor, committed to Poland’s green transformation, also supports, as part of the global “Heroes of tomorrow” programme, a sailing club “Łebski Klub Żeglarski”, engaging in activities to develop sports activities for children and young people.
Offshore wind farms Bałtyk – key information
Equinor and Polenergia are jointly developing three Bałtyk offshore wind farm projects in the Polish sea, with a total capacity of up to 3,000 MW.
The Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 projects, with a total capacity of 1440 MW, are being developed in the first phase of offshore wind energy development in Poland. The projects are located in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea, between 22 and 37 km from the coastline.
First energy from the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms is expected to flow into the grid as early as 2027, with commercial operation planned from 2028.
Source: Equinor
