A Polish authority in Gdansk has issued a decision on the environmental conditions for the connection infrastructure for Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 offshore wind projects.
The Regional Director of Environmental Protection in Gdansk’s decision has authorised the connection infrastructure to be implemented in two stages.
This allows the project’s investors, PGE and Ørsted, to continue the project and to start working on the building permits.
The environmental decision concludes a multi-month stage of work in preparation for the construction of an offshore wind farm and its connection infrastructure.
“We have met the necessary condition for the investment process to continue and are now ready to prepare the technical documentation necessary to obtain the building permits,” said Wojciech Dąbrowski, President of the Management Board of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna.
“The environmental decision for the Baltica 2 and 3 Offshore Wind Farm connection infrastructure confirms to us that the environmental surveys have been carried out accurately and the resulting environmental report has been properly prepared,” he added.
Søren Westergaard Jensen, Project Director for Project Baltica 2 and 3 at Ørsted, added: “With the environmental decision for the connection infrastructure, we have submitted water permit applications and we are going to apply for location decisions that are part of the preparation for building permits.
“These are the last administrative requirements that will allow the Baltica 2+3 project to mature towards taking a final investment decision and then move from planning to investment execution.”
Cables will be established from offshore substations to an onshore connection point and from this point, via excavation drill, the cables will be routed under a beach and dunes, and underground through the Choczewo municipality area to two onshore substations located near Osieki Lęborskie.
According to the project’s first phase schedule, Baltica 3, up to 1045.5MW, will supply first energy to the grid in 2026.
The next phase, Baltica 2 with up to 1497MW, is expected to start production in 2027.