Baltic Power, as the first developer on the Polish part of the Baltic Sea, has finalized the geotechnical research. The measurements were conducted on an area of more than 130 km2 and a cable route of more than 30 km that leads the energy from the sea to the land. As part of the ongoing work, a team of several hundred researchers, technicians and operators performed thousands of measurements and soundings.
For 9 months, 13 specialized vessels surveyed the seabed in the area of the windfarm and the power take-off route. The obtained results allow the finalization of the foundation design for approx. 70 wind turbines, offshore substations, and their cable connection to onshore transmission infrastructure.
In total, the ships involved in the campaign worked more than 20,000 hours. During this time, several thousand meters of specialized drilling was carried out in the places of planned foundation of elements of the farm infrastructure. Their depth, depending on the place where the research was conducted, reached even several dozen meters.
“Our involvement in the development of zero-emission power generation sources, including offshore wind farms, is a strategic direction supporting the process of energy transformation of ORLEN Group and the Polish economy. Within the framework of the Baltic Power project, we were the first in Poland to finalize the key research for the implementation of such an investment. Thus, we confirm that Baltic Power is one of the most dynamically developing projects in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. With the completion of the farm in 2026, we will strengthen Poland’s energy security by providing the economy with up to 1.2 GW of clean energy from the sea”, says Daniel Obajtek, President of the PKN ORLEN Management Board.
The obtained documentation is one of the key elements of the final design of the farm currently under development, including the placement of wind turbines, substations and cables. Since December 2021, JBO (Jörss – Blunck – Ordemann GmbH) has been working on the design of wind turbine foundations on behalf of Baltic Power. It is one of the most experienced suppliers in the market for the design of structures for offshore wind farms. The company’s portfolio includes dozens of wind turbine foundation projects completed since 2008 for investments located in offshore areas of 10 countries. Thanks to the data obtained during geotechnical research and previous works, the company prepares the final design, and thus also the choice of technology for the foundation of the farm elements. Simultaneously with the design work, a tender process for a foundation supplier is being conducted, which the company plans to complete later in 2022.
“The intensity of work and transfer of knowledge that takes place in the Baltic Power project between PKN ORLEN and Northland Power enables us to maintain high dynamics of investment preparations. The finalisation of geotechnical surveys is a milestone in the project which in practice starts the process of applying for the necessary construction permits”, emphasises Jarosław Broda, Member of the Board of Baltic Power.
Baltic Power is an investment jointly implemented by ORLEN Group and Northland Power. Thanks to effective knowledge transfer and intensive work of nearly 90 experts, the investment is currently one of the most dynamically developing projects on the Baltic Sea. Construction of a farm with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW is scheduled for 2024-2026. During this time, approx. 70 turbines with a minimum capacity of 14MW, that will eventually power up to one million households with clean energy, will be erected in the sea.
