Poland’s first offshore wind farm, Baltic Power, is being built in the Baltic Sea by the ORLEN Group and Northland Power. This key project in the country’s energy transition will supply energy to over 1.5 million households by 2026. It is also a milestone towards Poland’s energy independence and security, and another boost for our economy. “This is Poland’s grand opening to the Baltic Sea. The slogan that the Baltic Sea is truly becoming our Polish sea is also reflected in these energy investments” – said Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his visit to the Baltic Power service port.
Energy from the sea – real independence
The 1.2 GW Baltic Power farm is being built 23 km from the shore, off the coast of Łeba and Choczewo. It will feature 76 state-of-the-art wind turbines, each with a capacity of 15 MW – the largest ever installed in Europe. The investment is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2026.
We will have some of the largest, most powerful wind turbines and state-of-the-art offshore wind farms in Europe and the world. And this is the next stage of our great project – “Less talking, more building” – meaning Poland’s energy security in accordance with modern standards, said Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his visit to the wind farm.
The high efficiency of the turbines – comparable to conventional power plants and with an estimated annual production of approx. 4 TWh – will cover 3% of the country’s energy needs. The project will reduce CO₂ emissions by 2.8 million tons per year.
Modern technology and Polish contribution
Each turbine with its foundation reaches a height of 250 meters, and their blades are 115 meters long. Some of the nacelles for the turbines are being manufactured at the new Vestas factory in Szczecin, which already employs several hundred people. Tri-City shipyards, cable manufacturers, installation and logistics companies from all over Poland are also involved in the construction of the 130 km² farm.
This project will secure energy for approximately one and a half million households. The area of the farm itself is comparable to the area of Gdynia. One turbine is taller than the Palace of Culture. This gives an idea of the size and scale of this investment – said the head of government.
For the purposes of the investment, an onshore power station is being built in the municipality of Choczewo, and in April this year, the construction of a service base in Łeba was completed, which will service the farm for the next 30 years.
Baltic Power is the first – but not the last – offshore wind energy project in Poland to enter the construction phase.
We are very keen to ensure that the participation of Polish companies continues to grow. Together with Orlen, we are discussing how to ensure that Polish service providers and subcontractors are as involved as possible – and can earn money from this project – as pointed out by Donald Tusk.
The ORLEN Group is planning further offshore investments with a total capacity of approximately 5.5 GW, and the participation of Polish companies in future projects is expected to increase to 45%.
Future and security
The Prime Minister also referred to the geopolitical dimension of the project. He emphasized its importance for Poland’s independence from external energy suppliers and for building stability in the region.
For many, many years, Poland’s strategy of becoming independent from Russian energy resources has been bearing fruit. This gigantic investment brings us closer to full energy security and independence – said the Prime Minister.
Poland currently holds the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Cooperation includes activities in the areas of energy and infrastructure security, marine environmental protection, coordination of cross-border investments, and combating destabilization in the region and cyber attacks.
Source: gov.pl
