Construction has begun on the land infrastructure for the Baltic 2 and Baltic 3 offshore wind farms, developed by Equinor and Polenergia. Following final investment decisions made in May and securing record project financing in Poland’s energy sector, one of the largest energy projects in contemporary Poland has entered its construction phase. By 2028, renewable energy from these projects is expected to supply power to over 2 million Polish households.
In addition, Polenergia and Equinor are preparing the Baltic 1 farm, which stands as the largest and most advanced project in the second phase of offshore wind development, to participate in an upcoming auction scheduled for December this year. The pre-qualification application for this auction has already been submitted to the Energy Regulatory Office (URE).
Michał Jerzy Kołodziejczyk, CEO of Equinor in Poland, expressed confidence that the offshore auction will occur and conclude in 2025, allowing for continued development of offshore projects in Poland. If Baltic 1 wins the auction, it will become the largest offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, with a planned capacity of up to 1,560 MW and a local content target of approximately 45%, compared to 20% for Baltic 2 and 3.
The ongoing construction for Baltic 2 and 3 includes two land-based substations being built in Pęplino, near Ustka, by Hitachi Energy. A significant portion of the advanced equipment for these substations will be manufactured at Hitachi’s facilities in Łódź. Polish construction firm Erbud is a key subcontractor for these efforts.
Moreover, the projects involve the construction of cable routes, with a total land connection corridor measuring approximately 14 kilometers. The cable production and preparation of specialized cable routes are being handled by Polish companies Enprom and Tele-Fonika Kable.
Near the sea, drilling operations are underway using horizontal directional drilling technology, allowing for underground cable installation without excavation. The company Hanab is executing this segment, while Polish firm ZRB Janicki is responsible for the project.
In Łeba, Erbud has started building an operational and service base to support the offshore wind farms. This facility is expected to be completed by mid-next year.
Polenergia, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, is a vertically integrated company focused on executing projects from power generation using conventional and renewable sources to electricity and gas distribution, as well as energy trading. The company reported revenues of 4.3 billion PLN in 2024.
Equinor, a Norwegian firm deeply involved in the energy sector, is expanding its presence in renewable energy, developing clusters of offshore wind farms in the North Sea, the eastern coast of the United States, and the Baltic Sea.