Poland’s group PKN Orlen signed an agreement to lease a site in the port of Łeba for at least 25 years. The site will host service operation vessels that will maintain approximately 70 wind turbines as part of the Group’s first offshore wind farm scheduled to be operational in 2026.
“In addition to being a key element of the green transition of Poland’s energy system, the Baltic Power offshore wind farm will also significantly bolster national security and independence,” said Daniel Obajtek, President of the PKN Orlen Management Board. “This is why we are determined to take successive steps bringing us closer to launching this project by the end of 2026. Having a service port is crucial for the smooth operation of the project, which in a few years’ time will generate electricity for as many as one million households.”
The service base for the wind farm is expected to permanently operate at least two crew transfer vessels (CTVs), each capable of taking on board up to 24 technicians with the necessary equipment. It will take the vessels about 40 minutes to cover the 16-nautical mile route from the port to the wind farm – the shortest time compared with all the other potential locations for the base.
“The service port is one of the key elements of the entire project,” added Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, President of the Baltic Power Management Board. “Its location, the distance from the farm and thus the response time of maintenance crews, are factors determining the efficiency of the farm’s operation and stability of power supply. The port in Łeba will best meet all our objectives and needs as part of the Baltic Power project. We also see its potential in terms of PKN Orlen’s strategy to pursue further offshore wind power developments in the coming years.”
The project in Łeba is scheduled to be carried out in 2023–2025, at an estimated cost of approximate 20-30 million zlotys (around 4.3-6.4 million euros).
The development of the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is a joint project of the Orlen Group and Northland Power. The site of the project, with a total capacity of up to 1.2 gigawatts (GW) is located about 23 kilometres north of the Baltic coastline.
