After months of preparation, a fleet of 11 specialised vessels has mobilised to begin installing the foundations for Poland’s first offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.
This stage has already seen the installation of the first two of a total of 78 monopiles – towering 100 m steel structures that will support 15 MW wind turbines. A portion of these generation units are being manufactured at Vestas’ facility in Szczecin. With a total capacity of 1.2 GW, the Baltic Power wind farm is set to commence operations in 2026, delivering clean, reliable electricity capable of powering over 1.5 million households. Offshore wind is a key element of ORLEN’s strategy which has targeted the deployment of more than 4 GW of installed capacity in the Baltic Sea.
Baltic Power is the first offshore wind energy project in the Polish Baltic Sea. ORLEN has committed to developing three additional offshore wind farms, for which it has already secured licences. Together with large scale energy storage, onshore renewables, gas-fired power plants, and small modular reactors, offshore wind will be a cornerstone of Poland’s energy transition.
Ireneusz Fafara, Management Board President and CEO of ORLEN, noted: “This strategy is about delivering tangible progress, demonstrated by Poland’s first offshore wind farm. After months of work, the first foundations for the Baltic Power project have been installed. 2025 will be a milestone year as hundreds of our employees undertake the installation campaign. By 2026, energy from the Baltic Sea will be flowing to consumers for the first time. This is clean, stable, and secure power that will drive Poland’s economy forward. It also creates opportunities for Polish businesses to grow alongside our project.”
ORLEN is committed to maximising Polish industry participation across the 30-year lifecycle of the Baltic Power wind farm. Key components, including turbine nacelles, subsea cables, offshore substation steel structures, and foundation elements, are being manufactured in Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, the Tri-City area, Zary, and Niemodlin. Additionally, Polish companies are providing geological surveys, engineering design, and logistics support for the project.
Christine Healy, President and CEO of Northland Power, added: “The installation of the foundations for Baltic Power is a positive moment in the development of offshore wind energy in Poland. We are proud of our partnership with ORLEN on this project. As co-developers of Poland’s first offshore wind farm, we are excited to contribute our experience in offshore wind projects. Safety remains our priority throughout every stage, ensuring we uphold the highest standards in every aspect of the project. Today’s milestone is a testament to the partnership between Northland and ORLEN and solidifies our shared commitment to Poland’s energy future.”
The Baltic Power offshore construction site covers approximately 130 km², an area comparable in size to the city of Gdynia. Within this zone, 78 monopiles will be installed, each towering up to 100 m in length, weighing up to 1700 t, and exceeding 9 m in diameter. These steel foundations are being driven into the seabed at depths of around 40 m using a floating installation crane.
Beyond the crane vessel, over ten specialised ships are engaged in construction, including support vessels, tugboats, personnel and equipment carriers, environmental monitoring vessels, and security patrols. The Baltic Power Offshore Coordination Centre oversees all offshore construction activities and maritime traffic in real time.
As construction progresses, transition pieces will be installed to connect the foundations with the turbines, followed by the assembly of wind turbines, offshore substations, inter-array cables linking the turbines, and export cables transmitting electricity to shore. The installation stage is scheduled to continue until 2026.
Upon completion, Baltic Power will be Poland’s first operational offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, delivering approximately 4000 GWh of zero emission electricity annually. This will result in a CO2 emissions reduction of around 2.8 million tpy, compared to conventional power generation.
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