Orsted and PGE have applied for seabed acreage adjacent to the 2500GW Baltica offshore wind farm complex off Poland.
The pair submitted an application to the Ministry of Infrastructure earlier this week for the 45.E.1 site on Lawica Slupska, a 17 square km area that is directly adjacent to the Baltica wind farm zone in the Baltic Sea.
The zone is located approximately 32km from the shore.
Orsted head of region continental Europe Rasmus Errboe said: “Together with PGE, we are applying for a seabed lease area, which is relatively small, but is well located to be added to the already developed acreage of 320 square km where we will build the 2.5GW Baltica Offshore Wind Farm, which will be one of the largest offshore wind farms in our global portfolio.”
PGE president of the management board Wojciech Dąbrowski said: “The location we are applying for, complements the acreage of the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm, the largest offshore wind farm being built in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea.
“Over the next five years, we will commission the Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 stages with a total capacity of approximately 2.5GW.
“Obtaining a permit for an area of approximately 17 square km will allow us to achieve synergy with the Baltica 2 project and guarantee maximizing the use of this part of the Baltic Sea, and ultimately will ensure an increase in green electricity production.”
The first stage of the wind farm complex, the 1GW Baltica 3, is planned to become operational in 2026 while the next stage, the 1.5GW Baltica 2, is to be completed by 2027.
Baltica 2 and 3 have location permits, environmental permits, connection agreements to the transmission network with the operator, and have also received an initial Contract for Difference.
PGE said that it expects this year to receive the environmental permit for the transmission infrastructure and will also work on obtaining building permits, which would further mature the project towards final investment decision.
There are currently 11 new lease areas in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea, for which companies can apply for location permits.