The Baltic Power project – a joint venture between ORLEN and Northland Power – has successfully completed the installation of the first five transition pieces that will connect the foundations to offshore wind turbines at the site. This marks the first such installation in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea.

Transition pieces (TPs) are steel structures that link the monopile foundations with the towers of offshore wind turbines and offshore substations. A total of 78 TPs will be installed as part of the Baltic Power project. Each piece weighs up to 350 tons and is over 20 meters tall. The supplier of these components for the turbines is Smulders.

“Installation work at the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is picking up pace. After announcing the successful installation of the first monopiles last month, we can now confirm the first transition pieces have been installed. It’s worth noting that most of the secondary steel structures for these elements were manufactured at Smulders' Polish facilities in Żary, Niemodlin, and Łęknica. We now have the first locally produced elements of our offshore wind farm installed at sea,” said Grzegorz Szabliński, CEO of Baltic Power.

So far, five transition pieces have been installed offshore. The process of transport and installation is being handled by Van Oord, one of the world’s most experienced offshore construction contractors. The SAL LONE, a 160-meter-long floating crane vessel with two 1,000-ton capacity cranes, is performing the installations. The vessel is equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system, allowing it to maintain position regardless of sea conditions. SAL LONE has been in service since 2010 and is supported by CTVs (crew transfer vessels) during the campaign.

At the same time, monopile foundation installation is ongoing, also managed by Van Oord. The Baltic Power Marine Coordination Center is supervising the installation campaign. Completion of foundation installation is expected mid-year.

“We are now focusing on ensuring the safe and timely installation of the remaining foundations before moving on to wind turbine, cable, and offshore substation installations,” added Nick Ingham, Deputy EPCI Director at Baltic Power.

Onshore construction is progressing according to schedule. In Choczewo municipality, work continues on equipping the onshore substation with key equipment, including four 300 MV transformers. Meanwhile, the Leba service base, which will support Baltic Power operations for the next 30 years, is in the final stages of outfitting and preparation for day-to-day use. The commissioning of the Baltic Power wind farm is planned for 2026.

Baltic Power is the most advanced offshore wind energy project in Poland and the first to enter the construction phase. In 2023, the project secured a Final Investment Decision (FID) and financing from 25 international institutions. Construction activities are ongoing both onshore and offshore. The project will be among the first globally to install 15 MW wind turbines, and the first Polish offshore wind farm to operate in the Baltic Sea. It is expected to generate around 4,000 GWh of zero-emission electricity annually, reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 2.8 million tonnes per year compared to conventional energy sources.

fot. Baltic Power