ORLEN Group has reached another milestone in the development of offshore wind energy. The first operations and maintenance (O&M) base for offshore wind in Poland is now operating in Łeba. The port infrastructure, built entirely from scratch, will service the Baltic Power offshore wind farm being developed jointly by ORLEN and its Canadian partner Northland Power. It is already playing a key role in the ongoing offshore construction works, which will culminate next year with the launch of Poland’s first offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.

The Łeba base includes a specially reinforced service quay equipped with two cranes, berths for crew transfer vessels (CTVs), a high-storage warehouse for essential equipment and spare parts, and workshops and technical facilities for service crews and technicians. The same building also houses the Baltic Power Marine Coordination Centre (MCC), which began operations alongside the start of offshore installations. It operates 24/7, every day of the year. In recent weeks, the base has been fully equipped and prepared for daily operations. Technicians and service personnel are expected to begin working there later this year.

“As ORLEN Group, we are both a pioneer and a leader in developing offshore wind energy in Poland. As early as 2026, clean electricity generated at sea from our Baltic Power wind farm will begin flowing to consumers. The O&M base we are opening today is the onshore heart of this endeavour. At ORLEN, we fully understand that Poland must harness the potential of the Baltic Sea, which is why this is not the end of our investments in the region. The service base is the key to the successful construction of Baltic Power, and Pomerania is becoming the key to the future of Polish energy. Hundreds of workers are carrying out the largest offshore installation works in our history, while others prepare multi-billion-zloty investments in transmission networks and new generation sources. All of this was announced in our strategy — and we are delivering. We are implementing the largest investment programme in the history of Polish energy, worth up to PLN 380 billion,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, President & CEO of ORLEN.

“This is a moment of genuine pride for the entire offshore wind sector in Poland — from now on, anyone walking along the port canal in Łeba can see fully operational offshore wind infrastructure. Declarations and plans have turned into concrete actions and tangible infrastructure. The Baltic Power base in Łeba will service vessels and perform all essential tasks to ensure the fault-free and safe operation of the offshore wind farm. Around 60 technicians and staff will work here for roughly 30 years,” said Grzegorz Szabliński, President of Baltic Power.

The Łeba base is currently supporting installation works on the offshore construction site located around 23 km from the coast. Foundation works — including the installation of monopiles and transition pieces — are underway. Installation of wind turbines and offshore cables will begin in the coming weeks. Onshore, construction of the cable routes and the substation in the Choczewo municipality is progressing on schedule.

The Baltic Power offshore wind farm is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026. The ORLEN and Northland Power investment is the most advanced offshore wind project in Poland and the first to enter the construction phase. The wind farm will be among the first in the world to install 15 MW turbines. Generating around 4,000 GWh of zero-emission electricity annually, Baltic Power aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 2.8 million tonnes per year compared with conventional energy sources.

Photo: MarinePoland.com