On October 8 a ceremonial meeting of the Polish government and the PKN Orlen company with representatives of the Lithuanian government was held in Mažeikiai, Lithuania. A new investment of Orlen in the form of deep crude oil processing in the refinery was announced. On the occasion of the meeting the representatives of both sides talked about the chances of cooperation in offshore wind energy sector.
The Mažeikiai refinery is the most important asset of Orlen Lietuva, a subsidiary of PKN Orlen. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin announced the new investment worth EUR 600 million, which is of strategic importance for energetic security of the region. On this occasion bilateral meetings were held with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys.
Sasin said that he and the president of Lithuania believe that Poland and Lithuania share a common future. – We will strive to increase the energetic security of the Baltic states by, amongst others, investing in offshore wind farms – he announced on Twitter. Poland is talking to Lithuania about cooperation in the area of energy transition, counting on joint actions in offshore wind energy sector.
Lithuanian minister Dainius Kreivys said that the government looks favorably on the possible involvement of a Polish company in the Lithuanian Baltic Sea area. Currently talks are underway regarding PKN Orlen’s participation in actions concerning support for offshore wind farms in Lithuania. The Polish company would take part in them jointly with Ignitis in the second auction to be held at the turn of 2023 and 2024 (the first one will be held in 2022). The decision of Ignitis will depend on its authorities, as it is a joint-stock company. At the beginning of November Ignitis authorities will come to Warsaw to talk to PKN Orlen about cooperation in the area of offshore wind investments.
Orlen’s CEO Daniel Obajtek informed in an interview for the Rzeczpospolita newspaper that the company is talking to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia about offshore wind energy development in that part of the Baltic Sea. Currently, the company is developing the 1.2 GW Baltic Power offshore wind farm project in partnership with the Canadian company Northland Power. The investment area of approx. 131 km2 is located approx. 23 km north of the Baltic coastline, at the level of Leba and Choczew. The investment process is to start in 2024. Obajtek stressed in further conversation that he wants to apply for further concessions not only in Poland but also in Baltic countries. PKN Orlen counts on the scale effect. Currently the company is holding intensive talks on contracting a Polish installation port, which, as Obajtek pointed out, are going in the right direction.
