Key Components of Poland’s First Offshore Wind Farm Installed in the Baltic Sea

The installation of two offshore electrical substations, each weighing 2,500 tons, has been completed. They are located about 20 km off the coast, at the latitude of Choczewo (Pomerania) — the press office of ORLEN reported. This is a key element of the first Polish offshore wind farm.

According to the statement, the two marine substations — OSS West and OSS East — will receive energy produced by 76 turbines of 15 MW each, and then transmit it via export cables to the onshore station in the Choczewo municipality.

Each marine substation is equipped with two transformers, 230 kV and 66 kV switchgear, a diesel generator, control and monitoring systems, and a range of auxiliary devices enabling remote and safe operation. The CEO of Orlen, Ireneusz Fąfara, quoted in the statement, emphasized that the marine substations are among the most important components of the Baltic Power windfarm.

“Thanks to them we will be able to deliver zero-emission energy produced in the Baltic Sea to the Polish power grid and to our customers,” he said.

He noted that the installation of the substations was a complex logistical operation.

“It is worth emphasizing that Polish companies took part in the production of the substation elements for the first offshore windfarm in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea, thereby acquiring valuable and prospective experience. Increasing the participation of Polish firms in projects implemented by Orlen remains one of our priorities,” added Fąfara.

In the statement it was indicated that the main contractors for the marine substations were a consortium of CS Wind Offshore and Semco Maritime, along with several Polish firms. The full steel structures of the substations were manufactured in Poland—in shipyards in Gdynia and Gdańsk. The Baltic Industrial Group, belonging to the Industrial Development Agency (ARP), was responsible for their construction.

Each structure, weighing 1,300 tons, was first sent to Denmark where it was fully outfitted, reaching a mass of 2,500 tons. On both substations, among other things, specialized cranes made by the Polish company Protea were installed.

Also, in Poland parts of turbine nacelles are being produced. Domestic companies also manufactured foundation components, onshore cables, and are involved — as main contractors — in installation and construction works. According to current estimates, the so-called local content indicator in the Baltic Power project will reach at least 21 % over the entire lifecycle of the farm — from design and construction through to decommissioning.

Completion of the offshore wind farm is planned for next year. Then testing, certification and permit-obtaining processes will begin.

The company Baltic Power was established by Orlen and the Canadian firm Northland Power to build and operate the first Polish offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. In the future, Baltic Power will provide about 1.2 GW of capacity to the national energy system. The 76 turbines will be able to deliver as much as 4 TWh of sustainable electricity annually, which would account for 3 % of national demand and allow powering more than 1.5 million households.

The Baltic Power offshore wind farm lies 23 km from shore, in the area between Łeba and Choczewo, and its area exceeds 130 km² — roughly the size of the city of Gdynia.