Polish state utility PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna has started discussions with Orsted with a view to selling a 50% stake in two offshore wind farm projects in the Baltic Sea with a total capacity of up to 2.5GW.
The wind farms being considered for part-sale are the 1GW Elektrownia Wiatrowa Baltica 3, which is being developed for start-up in 2026, and 1.5GW Elektrownia Wiatrowa Baltica 2, slated to be brought online in 2030.
PGE in late 2018 had said it seeks a strategic partner for its wind developments in the Baltic Sea off the coast of the town of Łeba in Pomerania, after private rival Polenergia had sold half of its 2.8GW offshore wind developments in Poland to Norway’s Equinor.
PGE then had still hoped for first electricity from its projects at sea to feed into the Polish grid in 2025, but advances in legislation to make the country's first offshore wind farms possible have been slow since.
The government in Warsaw (that was just re-elected) is looking at presenting a proposal for a dedicated offshore wind act in a public consultation in November, which will include a support scheme for installations and the offshore grid, Polish wind power association PWEA told Recharge.
PGE already has a location permit for Baltica 2 and 3, and has started the procedure to receive an environmental permit.
The possible entry of Danish offshore wind champion Orsted comes after PGE in September already had signed a letter of intent with oil company PKN Orlen to cooperate on the development of their combined 3.7GW of offshore wind projects in the Polish Baltic.
UPDATED to add detail and background
