The Regional Director of Environmental Protection in Gdansk has issued an environmental decision for transmission infrastructure of the BC-Wind offshore wind farm. The decision covers power derivation from the BC-Wind offshore wind farm and connection to the National Electricity System.
Ocean Winds, an international offshore wind energy company formed as a 50-50 joint venture by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, has obtained an environmental decision on the transmission infrastructure for its BC-Wind offshore wind farm. The decision, issued by the Regional Director of Environmental Protection in Gdansk, covers both offshore and onshore elements of the transmission infrastructure.
The decision on environmental conditions for the connection infrastructure of the BC-Wind offshore wind farm was based on a detailed environmental impact report. This report was prepared by MEWO, in cooperation with Geomor sp. z o.o. and Marea Sp. z o.o.. Marea was responsible for the environmental inventory of the onshore part, while MEWO carried out the inventory for the offshore cable route, involving experts in ornithology, chiropterology and marine mammals. In addition, an archaeological inventory of the seabed was carried out using ROVs, a side scanner and magnetic anomaly measurements.
‘Obtaining an environmental decision for the transmission infrastructure is a key step in the implementation of the BC-Wind project. We are getting closer to making the final investment decision and obtaining the construction permit for the offshore wind farm in Phase I offshore. The project will make a significant contribution to Poland’s energy transition. In addition, it will be the first wind farm located in the Baltic Sea in our portfolio,’ noted Kacper Kostrzewa, Project Director.
The decision covers the construction of about 33 km of cable line in the marine area and about 8 km on land. This transmission infrastructure will be implemented using horizontal directional drilling (HDD), i.e. underground, without interfering with the coastal zone, including the beach. This will enable secure connection of offshore and onshore sections of the cable lines in specially designed wells located on land. The connection point for the BC-Wind transmission infrastructure to the National Electricity System will be Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne’s (PSE S.A.) 400 kV substation in Choczewo.
The first onshore construction works are scheduled to start in the second half of 2025.
BC-Wind is an offshore wind farm project located approximately 23 kilometres north of the coast, at the height of the Krokowa and Choczewo communes in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The project aims to achieve a planned capacity of up to 500 MW, with a total farm area of 90.94 km².
The BC-Wind farm is at an advanced stage of development and is one of the key projects in Polish part of the Baltic Sea. The project already has an environmental decision issued for its onshore and offshore parts, as well as grid connection conditions. The current priority is to contract key suppliers of components for the BC-Wind offshore wind farm, plan the service base and and make a final investment decision (FiD) by the end of 2024.
