The Regional Director of Environmental Protection in Gdansk issued a decision on the environmental conditions for the connection infrastructure, i.e. the transport of the produced power from Baltica Offshore Wind Farm, Baltica 2 and Baltica 3, to be implemented in two stages. This allows the project’s investors – PGE and Ørsted – to continue the project and to start working on the building permits.
The environmental decision concludes an important, multi-month stage of work in preparation for the construction of an offshore wind farm and its connection infrastructure. We have met the necessary condition for the investment process to continue and are now ready to prepare the technical documentation necessary to obtain the building permits- said Wojciech Dąbrowski, President of the Management Board of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna. The environmental decision for the Baltica 2 and 3 Offshore Wind Farm connection infrastructure confirms to us that the environmental surveys has been carried out accurately and the resulting environmental report has been properly prepared – added PGE President.
With the environmental decision for the connection infrastructure, we have submitted water permit applications and we are going to apply for location decisions that are part of the preparation for building permits. These are the last administrative requirements that will allow the Baltica 2+3 project to mature towards taking a final investment decision and then move from planning to investment execution says Søren Westergaard Jensen, Project Director for Project Baltica 2+3, Ørsted. – Contributing to the goals of transforming and strengthening energy security of Poland, we are delighted to be able to implement the investment in the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm in accordance with the highest environmental standards – added Søren Westergaard Jensen.
Milestone towards investment execution
A detailed study of the natural environment was carried out prior to obtaining the environmental decision. Obtaining the environmental decision for the Baltica 2+3 Offshore Wind Farm connection infrastructure is a major step towards the final investment decision. The Baltica 2+3 Offshore Wind Farm has already obtained the environmental decision for the offshore wind farm in on January 24, 2020. In addition, the project has obtained the location decisions (PSC) and the connection agreements to the transmission network with the operator (PSE) and has been granted the right to a differential contract (CfD).
Where the connection infrastructure will be built
The connection infrastructure purpose is to transmit energy produced offshore into the network on land. In order to transport energy, cables will be conducted from offshore substations to the place of connection of offshore and onshore cables. From this point, via the excavation drill, the cables will be routed under the beach and dunes, and then they will be fluent underground through the Choczewo municipality area to two onshore substations located near Osieki Lęborskie. From onshore substations the energy will go to the substation of TSO.
According to the project’s first phase schedule, Baltica 3, up to 1045.5 MW, the first energy introduction into the grid is planned for 2026. The next phase, Baltica 2 with up to 1497 MW, is expected to start production in 2027. These investments will accelerate the Polish energy transformation.
Source: Ørsted
