The Minister of Infrastructure has announced that in the location permit for area 53.E.1, no applicant has achieved the qualifying minimum. This concerns 1 of the 11 areas to be allocated to investors under the so called PSZW for the second phase of the Polish offshore.

The decision of 2 January 2023 relates to area 53.E.1 covered by announcement no. 3/2022/MFW of 21 January 2022. Companies applying for the concession included PKN Orlen, Shell, Equinor, RWE and EDF Renewables.

As the Ministry of Infrastructure indicates: “none of the applicants reached the qualifying minimum in the criterion of proposed permit durations, including start and completion dates for construction and operation of the project. The proposed project timetables did not take into account the deadlines for obtaining a construction permit and, at the same time, the prohibition of the construction and use of artificial islands, structures and equipment in the basin before the end of 2040. Given the current legislation, it is not possible to develop a feasible implementation schedule for a project that would obtain a permit in 2022 or 2023. In view of the failure of any of the applicants to achieve the qualifying minimum, the Minister of Infrastructure considers the proceedings to be inconclusive.”

Decisions on a further 4 areas are expected soon – previously announced by Deputy Minister Gróbarczyk at the turn of the year. A decision on a further 6 areas is planned for mid-2023.