The offshore wind farm projects Baltic II and Baltic III, with a total capacity of 1440 MW, will be located about 27 and 40 kilometers from the port of Łeba. Under the contract, Hitachi Energy will be responsible for the design of the electrical system for both farms, from the wind turbines to the grid connection point at the Słupsk-Wierzbięcino substation. The projects are awaiting a final investment decision, scheduled for 2024.
The contract includes system analyses and takes into account the integration of all equipment from cooperating contractors. This will allow for the design of complete wind farms with a safe, cost-optimal and stable transmission system that complies with the requirements of the transmission grid operation and maintenance manual. In addition, Hitachi Energy is also responsible for the supply of the complete control system, telecommunications network, all high-voltage equipment at the offshore and onshore substation, and the turnkey supply of the onshore substation. The contract also includes installation and connection work in Słupsk.
“This is another key milestone for these offshore wind projects, which will supply domestically produced renewable energy to the Polish power grid. We look forward to working with Hitachi Energy in Poland and their local subcontractors on bringing this competitive source of renewable energy to Poland”, says Michal Kolodziejczyk, country manager of Equinor in Poland.
“Earlier this year Equinor signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Hitachi Energy to work more closely together on future projects. This contract is the first since then, and we are very pleased to move into execution of our collaboration. We look forward to developing a local supply chain for electrical infrastructure to offshore wind farms along with Hitachi Energy in Poland”, says Mette H. Ottøy, chief procurement officer in Equinor.
Hitachi Energy has been operating in the Polish market for 97 years and employs about 2,500 people in Poland. It has offices, as well as technology, research and engineering centers in Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocław, Lublin, Katowice, Poznań and Gdańsk, as well as factories in Łódź and Przasnysz. The contract with Hitachi Energy estimates that between 25% and 35% of its total value (including equipment orders from third-party suppliers) should be invested locally.
“We are ordering the ‘heart’ of the system for transmission and transformation of energy from offshore wind farms. This is one of the most important contracts of our Bałtyk projects. We are entering into a partnership with one of the world’s leading energy companies, whose HVAC technology is crucial to the efficient transmission of energy from sea to land. We are building a strong global team around the MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III that will enhance their competitiveness and support a sustainable energy future for all of us. We look forward to joint initiatives to support the achievement of our ambitious local content goals”, states Michał Michalski, Ph.D., President of the Management Board of Polenergia.
Source: Equinor, Polenergia
