Baltic Power, the 1,140-MW offshore wind farm being developed by Polish oil refiner PKN Orlen and Canada's Northland Power Inc, has completed the first of four tunnels needed to connect the project to the onshore substation, the companies announced this week.
The 1.4-km tunnel, which will accommodate 30-cm-thick power transmission cables, was constructed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD). This marks the first large-scale application of HDD technology in Poland. Baltic Power board member Jens Poulsen noted that the drilling was executed with minimal disruption to local residents, tourists, and the surrounding environment.
In parallel, the substation located approximately 8 km away in Osieki Leborskie is already over 40% complete, with a handover expected in the fourth quarter of 2025. This facility will play a crucial role in receiving energy from the Baltic Power wind farm and integrating it into the National Power Grid.
Once operational in 2026, the Baltic Power wind farm is poised to become Poland's most advanced offshore development and one of the first sites globally to feature 15-MW wind turbines. The project is anticipated to fulfill approximately 3% of the country's energy needs while helping to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 2.8 million tonnes annually.
