Baltic East has obtained its environmental decision from the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Gdańsk, according to ORLEN Neptun.
ORLEN Neptun said the milestone moves the approximately 1GW offshore wind farm closer to taking part in Poland’s first offshore wind auction in December.
It added that Baltic East has the potential to supply power to more than 1.25 million households.
Janusz Bil, president of ORLEN Neptun, said the approval was achieved “in such a short timeframe” due to the team’s expertise and commitment.
He said: “This is an important milestone that allows us to continue the investment process and prepare Baltic East to take part in Poland’s first offshore wind auction.”
He added: “In parallel, we are working to secure financing and obtain all the necessary permits so that, in 2032, energy from our wind farm can be fed into the Polish grid.”
ORLEN Neptun said the December auction will allocate support for up to 4GW of offshore capacity under the contracts for difference scheme.
It added that Baltic East is entering a decisive phase from permitting through to the final investment decision and construction.
The company said the project will make extensive use of local content across supply, logistics and services.
The environmental approval covers turbines, foundations, offshore substations and inter-array cables, while a separate process is under way for the grid link.
Baltic East already holds a PSZW permit, preliminary grid connection conditions and a PUUK cable permit, ORLEN Neptun said.
It added that design and engineering work has started for building permit applications.
ORLEN Neptun said the environmental decision followed years of studies and analyses carried out mainly by Polish companies.
It added that measures include a migratory bird corridor and solutions to limit underwater noise.
Baltic East will be built across a 110km² site around 22.5km offshore, adjacent to the Baltic Power project.
ORLEN said offshore wind development is central to Poland’s energy security and affordable clean electricity.
The group is developing six offshore licences including Baltic East, with Baltic Power due to generate first power next year and Baltic West progressing in parallel.
All projects are being prepared for participation in Poland’s offshore support scheme ahead of the December auction.