A service port for Orlen Group’s wind farm in the Baltic Sea will operate in Łeba
Baltic Power, the company set up to build Orlen Group’s wind farm in the Baltic Sea, has signed an agreement to lease land where a base will be built to enable the voyage of service vessels servicing around 70 turbines. The port in Łeba will be used for services for a minimum of 25 years, PKN Orlen said.
Informing on Thursday about the agreement concluded by Baltic Power, the concern recalled that according to its earlier assumptions, the launching of Orlen Group’s first offshore wind farm is planned for 2026.
– For at least 25 years the port in Łeba will be used to service the Baltic Power offshore wind farm. The company has signed an agreement for a lease of land, on which a base will be established to enable cruises of service vessels servicing around 70 turbines – PKN Orlen informed.
PKN Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek stressed that the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is not only a key element in the green transformation of the energy system but also “a significant strengthening of Poland’s security and independence”.
– That is why we are very consistently and decisively implementing further steps that will bring us closer to launching this investment already in 2026. – Obajtek stressed quoted in the press release.
The PKN Orlen CEO noted that “obtaining the service port is extremely important for the efficient functioning of the investment, which in a few years will be able to supply up to one million households”.
The company informed that upon signing the agreement Baltic Power acquired an area of 1.1 ha, on which a service base for the offshore wind farm will be built. According to the assumptions, the offshore wind farm service base will be permanently operated by at least two CTVs (Crew Transfer Vessels) designed for transporting service personnel and equipment, each of which can take up to 24 technicians on board at one time, along with the necessary equipment.
– The 16-nautical-mile route from the port to the farm area will be covered by the vessels in about 40 minutes, which is the best result among all considered locations for the base, the information emphasised.
Baltic Power CEO Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska noted that “the service port is one of the key elements of the whole investment.
– Its location, distance from the farm, and thus the responsiveness of the service teams, determine the efficiency of its operation and stability of energy supply. The port in Łeba best meets all our assumptions and needs, and at the same time has great potential for further development of offshore wind energy in Poland,” she assessed.
PKN Orlen explained that the service port will house, among others, spare parts warehouses, workshops and office space. According to the company, the base will be continuously staffed by around 50 people responsible for its maintenance, and their most important tasks will include carrying out cyclical inspections of the turbines, including checking the efficiency, parameters and wear and tear of individual elements and, if necessary, carrying out replacements and repairs.
“According to the adopted schedule, the investment in Łeba will be carried out in the years 2023-2025, and its estimated cost will be approximately PLN 20-30 million,” – the concern stated. The company has also supported Baltic Power in the preparation of tender documentation for the base’s design and construction.
As PKN Orlen reminded, the construction of the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is a joint undertaking carried out by Orlen Group and Northland Power. The investment area with a total capacity of up to 1.2 GW is located approx. 23 km north of the Baltic Sea coastline, at the level of Łeba and Choczew.
source: PortalMorski.pl
