PGE and Ørsted with windup contractor Baltica 2

PGE and Ørsted, partners implementing offshore wind farm project Baltica 2, they selected the contractor responsible for launching a terrestrial transformer station located in the municipality of Chochewo in Pomerania. The start-up works will be carried out by Polish company Enprom.

Operation of Baltica 2 terrestrial connection infrastructure

The selection of the contractor for the start-up works confirms the progress of one of the key elements of Baltica 2 offshore wind farm connecting infrastructure. According to Bartosz Fedurek, president of the board of PGE Baltica, proper electrical start-up and stable operation of a land transformer station are a condition for uninterrupted operation of offshore wind turbines and continuous production of electricity.

Another important element of the decision is the participation of the Polish company in the implementation of the task. This is part of a consistently implemented strategy to increase the participation of the national component in the Baltica 2 project, which remains one of the largest offshore elevators in the Baltic Sea region.

Importance of a terrestrial transformer station in offshore elevator design

As Ulrik Lange, Vice President and Managing Director of the Baltica 2 project in Ørsted, the terrestrial power station plays a key role in monitoring and controlling the entire electrical infrastructure of the farm. This facility will control the operation of offshore power stations and wind turbines located about 40 km from the shore.

A transformer station is a central element of the power output system from the wind farm and the integration of generated energy into the national electricity system.

Scope and timetable of implementation

The contract concluded with Enprom involves carrying out a full range of power output start-up work. These include the conformity tests required by the transmission system operator – Polish Power Networks – verification of design assumptions, test traffic and transfer of stations for use.

The duration of the contract is 21 months. During this time, the contractor will check all essential equipment related to the transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as systems responsible for the safe and stable operation of the entire facility.

As Piotr Tomczyk of the Enprom board points out, participation in the Baltica 2 project means the presence of the company as a contractor in all four offshore wind farms currently carried out on the Polish Baltic.

Technical parameters of the station and connection to the KSE

The land station of the highest tensions for the Baltica 2 farm is created in the area of nearly 13 hectares in Osieki Lęborskie, in the municipality of Choczewo. It will be where the electricity generated by the offshore wind farm will go.

After reaching the shore, the 275 kV voltage current will be sent to the transformer station with a 6-kilometre cable route, where it will be transformed to 400 kV. The energy will then be entered into the national electricity network through the nearby PSE Chochewo station.

To the north of the station, in the area of the shoreline, work is being carried out in the HDD well, allowing the combination of land and sea-based cable infrastructure to reduce the environmental impact.

The start of the terrestrial transformer station will not affect the functioning of local low and medium voltage distribution networks.

Baltica 2 – the largest wind farm in Poland

Draft Baltica 2 up to 1,5 GW is a joint investment of PGE and Ørsted. After the launch in 2027, it will become the largest offshore wind farm in Poland. The capacity of the installation will allow to supply green energy to about 2.5 million households, strengthening the country's energy security and the share of renewable energy sources in the national energy mix.