Baltic Power selects the main contractor for its offshore wind farm service base

“Poland faces the need for transformation of its energy generation sources, and the ORLEN Group is an active participant in this process. Access to cheap green energy is one of the basic factors for the competitiveness of the economy and the opportunity of stable growth over the coming decades. Therefore, we consistently build a strong multi-utility group able to invest in forward-looking areas of modern power sector, which will ensure security of energy supply for consumers, development of the potential of Polish companies, and increase in value for PKN ORLEN shareholders,” emphasised Daniel Obajtek, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN.

The Baltic Power wind farm, built by the Consortium of PKN ORLEN and Northland Power, is to consist of 76 wind turbines, each with a height of over 200 m. The farm will occupy an area of over 130 km², approximately 23 km north of the Baltic Sea coastline, near Leba and Choczewo.

The service base for the Baltic Power farm, which will be built on the premises of port in Leba, will be the centre of its daily operation and maintenance. Location is of prime importance in this case – the base must be located close to the area where the farm is located to ensure the shortest possible response time for service teams. In this case, approximately 40 mins. will be needed to reach the offshore wind farm from Leba.

Polish company ERBUD will be responsible for the base construction, which will start in 2023. As the main contractor, it will perform, among others, preparation of the project site, hydraulic works related to the alteration of the quayside, and construction of the complex of base buildings together with their infrastructure. Approximately 2 – 4 crew transfer vessels, i.e. vessels intended for transport of maintenance personnel, will be permanently stationed in the base. Each of them may take up to 24 technicians with the necessary equipment on board at a time. The base operating 365 days a year will employ up to 50 persons responsible for the maintenance and operation of the offshore wind farm.

ERBUD has 30-years-experience in implementing construction projects, among others, in the fields of power sector and hydraulic engineering in Poland and Europe. For the implementation of the project, the contractor plans to employ approximately 100 employees. All suppliers and subcontractors, whose services will be used by ERBUD, i.e. more than 20 companies, are entities registered in Poland. Thus, the construction of the base will contribute to the development of the local value chain for the offshore wind sector.

Baltic Power has also selected the company responsible for providing the contract engineer service. The company that will supervise the entire investment process guaranteeing its timely implementation will be Antea Poland. It is a part of an international consortium specialising in comprehensive supervision projects, among others in the fields of power sector, infrastructure, and water management.

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