Equinor has completed the acquisition of a site at the Port of Leba to serve as the operations and maintenance (O&M) base for its Polish Baltic Sea offshore wind farms.
Equinor will construct, own and operate the base which will support the Baltyk offshore wind projects of Equinor and partner Polenergia, and could also support additional activities in the future.
Equinor and Polenergia are currently jointly developing the Baltyk 3, Baltyk 2 and Baltyk 1 offshore wind projects.
Baltyk 3 and Baltyk 2, with a combined potential capacity of 1440MW, were awarded contracts for difference (CfD) by Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office on 4 May 2021.
Equinor country manager for Poland Says Michal Kolodziejczyk (pictured) said: “The selection of Leba to host the operations and maintenance base for Baltyk 2 and Baltyk 3 is another step towards the development of the Baltyk offshore wind projects.
“We are making a long-term investment in Leba as a future hub of offshore wind in Poland.
“We are committed to creating lasting local value through our projects in Poland, and the O&M base means jobs and investment for Leba and the region.
“We are excited to contribute to a new chapter in the rich maritime tradition of Leba and will continue to engage in a dialogue with all stakeholders as Poland’s offshore wind industry takes shape.”
The planned O&M base would serve as the logistics hub for the Baltyk projects, with an office, storage, and transportation facilities.
The proximity of Leba to the Baltyk offshore wind farm areas will contribute to optimising safety and operation costs, said Equinor.
The local job opportunities for operating an offshore wind farm include maintenance technician roles, that will predominately be based offshore, as well as office-based teams to support the operations from land.
The Baltyk projects of Equinor and Polenergia are among the largest offshore wind farms under development in Poland.
Construction of the wind farms could begin as soon as 2024.