Equinor and Polenergia have contracted cables for the Bałtyk II and III offshore wind farms

Equinor and Polenergia have signed contracts for the design, manufacture, supply and installation of inter-array cables and export cables for the Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 1.44 GW. These are further components necessary for the implementation of key investments for the Polish energy transition.

The inter-array cables will be supplied and installed by Seaway7. On the other hand, the contract for offshore export cables was awarded to an international consortium formed by Jan de Nul and Hellenic Cables. Recently, the partners have also signed an agreement with DNV, which will take care of the certification of the offshore parts of the Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III wind farms.

"The signing of further contracts brings us closer to the moment of making the final investment decision, and then delivering the first energy from the Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III offshore wind farms in 2027. These will be one of the first wind farms in the Polish sea, the commissioning of which will strengthen energy security and provide affordable, stable renewable energy for more than 2 million households," says Michał Jerzy Kołodziejczyk, President of Equinor in Poland.

Once all structural elements have been contracted, as well as the necessary permits have been obtained and the final investment decision has been made, the implementation phase of the Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III projects with a total capacity of 1.44 GW will begin.

Offshore work, including the installation of inter-array cables and offshore export cables, will begin in 2026. The inter-array cables, with a total length of 200 kilometers and a voltage of 66 kV, will connect 100 turbines located in the Baltic Sea and two offshore substations. On the other hand, four export cables with a total length of 256 kilometers will carry 220kV electricity from offshore substations to onshore substations.

The inter-array cables will be laid on the seabed and buried, and the output of the offshore export cables to the shore will be carried out using the trenchless method, i.e. under the surface of the ground, without interfering with the coastal zone, including the beach.

"The use of this technology allows for the connection of offshore and onshore power infrastructure while maintaining the environmental and landscape values of the Polish coast. This is very important not only for us but also for local communities. We provide information about the progress in the development of our projects to the residents of seaside towns on an ongoing basis. We talk to them at regular meetings organized by us, but also at the recently launched Offshore Wind Farm Information Centre - Bałtyk. The point we have opened in Łeba is the first facility of this type in Poland," says Marta Porzuczek, Director of the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Department at Polenergia Group.

The selected suppliers of inter-array and export cables have global experience in supporting developers in the implementation of the construction of offshore wind farms. Seaway7, the supplier of inter-array cables for the Baltic II and Baltic III projects, offers specialist services for the installation of offshore infrastructure, as well as heavy transport services for the renewable energy sector.

A consortium formed by Belgian company Jan de Nul, known for providing services related to the construction and maintenance of offshore infrastructure, in partnership with Greek cable manufacturer, Hellenic Cables, will be responsible for the supply and installation of offshore export cables for both offshore wind farms in the Baltic.

Equinor and Polenergia are jointly developing three offshore wind farms with a total capacity of up to 3 GW. In addition to the Baltic II and Baltic III projects, the partners are also developing 1.56 GW of capacity as part of the Baltic I project, which is the most advanced investment in the second phase of offshore wind in Poland. The project is being prepared for auction in 2025.

Photos by Seaway7 to use: https://mab.to/t/wvdhtuaUHma/eu1