The 1.5 GW offshore wind farm it is moving towards its next phases of construction after completing the foundations for turbines and substations.
PGE and Ørsted they completed the installation of the 111 Baltica 2 monopiles, one of the main stages of construction of the offshore wind farm they are developing off the coast of Poland.
The campaign ended within the planned timeframe and included 107 foundations intended for wind turbines and four for marine substations Van Oord was in charge of the transport and installation of the foundations.
With this phase completed, Baltica 2 is moving forward with the construction of the necessary infrastructure to reach an installed capacity of 1,5 GW.
Monopiles up to 100 meters for Baltica 2
The monopiles used in Baltic 2 reach up to 100 meters long and weigh around 1,900 tons their diameters are approximately between 7.5 and 10.5 meters depending on the characteristics of each foundation.
Therefore, installing each structure required coordinating manufacturing and transport with the availability of specialized vessels. Weather conditions and the preparation of each installation site were also relevant factors during the offshore operations.
In addition, the team previously evaluated different scenarios that could affect the campaign, the planning considered aspects such as the installation sequence, component logistics, and vessel availability.
Svanen and Aeolus participated in the marine campaign
To carry out the work, Van Oord used specialized vessels The Swan and Aeolus the combined use of both units allowed for parallel activities and provided greater flexibility to operations.
This strategy also allowed the work sequence to be adjusted in response to changes in sea conditions and to maintain the planned installation pace.
The campaign leveraged Ørsted’s experience in offshore wind projects and Van Oord’s technical capabilities in transporting and installing offshore foundations.
More than 400 secondary structures will be installed
After the completion of the Baltica 2 monopiles, work continues on the finished foundations, the project includes installing more than 400 secondary structures, including anode cages for corrosion protection, access platforms for vessels and indoor and outdoor platforms.
Around 75% of these units are manufactured in Poland, increasing the participation of the local industrial chain in the construction of wind farm the installation of these steel structures is scheduled to continue until the end of 2026.
Baltica 2 prepares substations and export cables
In parallel, the project is preparing to incorporate other components of its marine infrastructure, the following stages include the offshore substations and export cables during 2026.
Subsequently, in 2027, the installation of the cables between wind turbines and the turbines themselves is planned. Baltica 2 is located in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea and is part of the development of the offshore wind energy of the country. PGE and Ørsted are jointly developing the project while Van Oord is participating as the contractor for the foundations and their protection against seabed erosion.
First energy source for Baltica 2 scheduled for 2027
According to the project schedule, Baltica 2 is expected to produce its first electricity during the first half of 2027. With this, full commercial operation is planned for the end of that same year. Once operational, the park will have the capacity to supply renewable electricity equivalent to the consumption of around 2.5 million Polish households.
Completing the 111 monopiles allows construction to shift its focus to the next stages of the project, including the installation of secondary structures, the deployment of the marine electrical infrastructure, and the preparation of the systems that will allow the generated energy to be evacuated. Subsequently, work will concentrate on the interconnection cables and the assembly of the wind turbines that will make up the 1.5 GW offshore wind farm.
Source: Energy Global
Photo: Shutterstock
