Manufacture of key components for Baltic Power wind farm based locally in Pomerania

In preparation for the offshore installation works scheduled for the end of this year, some critical components of the Baltic Power project are currently under production. Key infrastructure, including substations for evacuating power from the offshore turbines and transmitting it to the mainland, is being constructed in the seaside region of Pomerania. Other important project components are also being manufactured in Szczecin, Kluczbork, and Żary, among other locations.

The target proportion of locally sourced supplies for Baltic Power, a collaborative venture between the ORLEN Group and Northland Power, is in excess of 20% of the project’s lifecycle value, spanning 25-30 years. This represents the highest local content among all offshore wind energy projects currently underway in Poland.

“Baltic Power is our flagship energy transition project. Facilitating a permanent shift in our energy mix, the new offshore wind farm will also foster the development of a new industrial sector in Poland. Consequently, we are dedicated to maximising both the extent to which local businesses are involved in the project and utilisation of the ORLEN Group’s expertise throughout the maintenance phase. Baltic Power is a trailblazing project, paving the way for understanding and refining collaboration with local suppliers. We intend to apply the insights gained from this project to future offshore ventures,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO and President of the Management Board of ORLEN S.A.

A crucial aspect of the Baltic Power project includes the construction of two offshore substations in Gdańsk and Gdynia, to be situated 23 kilometres off the coast. These stations will receive power generated by the 76 turbines, increasing the voltage before transmitting it via subsea and land cables to an onshore substation located approximately 7 kilometres inland. Ultimately, the wind-derived power will be fed into the national grid, supplying electricity to more than 1.5 million households.

Each offshore substation comprises two primary components: the foundation and superstructure, known as the topside. A fully equipped topside will weigh approximately 2,500 tonnes and have dimensions of 20 x 30 x 40 metres, resembling a 4-5 storey residential building. Despite their considerable size and weight, the substations will be constructed and outfitted on land before being installed at sea using Gulliver, the specialist vessel for installing offshore infrastructure. Once in place, both structures will rise about 40 metres above sea level on foundations having 9 metres in diameter and 80 metres in length. The contractors engaged for their construction are Baltic Operator Gdańsk-Gdynia and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia.

Other key components to be sourced from the Polish market include foundation parts for the substations produced in Szczecin, and OSS boom cranes manufactured by a company in Kluczbork. In addition, turbine foundation components are under construction at plants in Żary, Łęknica, Niemodlin and Czarna Białostocka, while the subsea and land cables are being produced at a factory in Bydgoszcz. Polish firms are also handling construction work on the maintenance base at the Port of Łeba and the onshore receiving substation in Choczewo.

“The production of offshore substations is well advanced, daily involving several hundred workers. This work will provide invaluable experience for the entire sector, demonstrating Poland’s capability to locally produce critical wind farm components. The manufacture of steel structures for offshore stations is a notable strength of Polish shipyards, presenting an opportunity for these facilities to specialise and integrate into European supply chains, given especially the potential pipeline of 10 more wind farms to be constructed in Poland, with a combined capacity in excess of 10 GW,” said Jarosław Broda, Member of the Management Board of Baltic Power.

Baltic Power stands as the most advanced offshore wind project in Poland and the largest renewable energy investment undertaken in Central Europe. It will be among the first wind farms globally to feature 15 MW turbines and the one pioneering significant utilisation of low-emissions steel for the manufacture of wind turbine towers. Upon completion in 2026, Baltic Power is projected to meet up to 3% of Poland’s electricity demand and reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 2.8 million tonnes annually.