The offshore-to-onshore horizontal directional drilling (HDD) campaign for the Baltica 2 project, a joint venture between PGE and Ørsted, has been successfully completed. This advanced technology allows the export cables to be installed beneath the coastline without excavation, linking the offshore wind farm to the onshore grid infrastructure while preserving beaches and dunes.

The sea-to-land transition is one of the most technically and environmentally demanding sections of the entire cable route, as it is where offshore and onshore infrastructure meet. The execution of this stage is therefore critical for the overall power transmission system from the wind farm to the grid.

The HDD section required a complex engineering process, including the preparation of the infrastructure needed for later cable installation. Four cable ducts, each with a diameter of 800 mm, were prepared. Pipes were assembled on-site by welding 18-metre sections end-to-end, creating four continuous ducts approximately 1,240 metres long each – totalling around five kilometres of infrastructure ready to accommodate the cables.

Work on the sea-to-land drilling, including pipe assembly, began in July 2025 and took nine months to complete. Prefabrication of the pipes involved 42 transport operations to the site. Operations were carried out in challenging and highly variable weather conditions, from summer temperatures of 30°C to winter lows of –20°C, including snow and ice.

Following the completion and inspection of the HDD operations, the cable ducts were prepared for the next project stage. Until the export cables are installed, their ends will remain secured beneath the seabed. The work was successfully executed by the Romgos-Janicki consortium, supported by other Polish subcontractors.

A key priority throughout this stage was minimising interference with the beach and dunes while maintaining public access. The HDD method allowed both objectives to be achieved, as the crossing was executed below the ground surface rather than through open trenches. Access to the beach was maintained via existing and designated pathways, coordinated with local authorities throughout the works.

“The successful installation of the fourth and final HDD section marks a significant step forward for the project. It reflects excellent coordination and dedication across the entire project team, as well as strong collaboration with our contractors. We are particularly proud of the high safety standards achieved on-site during this technically demanding operation, and of the commitment of everyone involved. In April, dredging works will secure the four ends of the protective ducts on the seabed, completing the preparations for export cable installation and the connection of offshore and onshore cables. All of this enables the cable system to transmit energy generated by the offshore wind farm to the Polish power grid,” said Ulrik Lange, Managing Director of the Baltica 2 project at Ørsted.

“The offshore cables carrying electricity from the Baltica 2 wind farm will make landfall near the coast at Lubiatowo in the Choczewo municipality, connecting with onshore cables that run seven kilometres to the onshore substation. From there, via the PSE Choczewo station, energy will be delivered to the national grid. Of particular importance is the involvement of a consortium of Polish companies, which also engaged subcontractors from the Pomeranian region,” added Bartosz Fedurek, CEO of PGE Baltica.

Baltica 2, with a capacity of approximately 1.5 GW, is a joint investment by PGE and Ørsted. Later this year, installation of turbine foundations, offshore export cables, and offshore transformer substations will begin. Once these stages are completed, inter-array cables connecting turbines and offshore substations will be installed, and testing of the onshore transformer substation will commence. Upon its commissioning in 2027, Baltica 2 will be Poland’s largest offshore wind farm, providing clean energy to over 2.5 million households and making a significant contribution to the country’s energy transition.