Following the 17 December 2025 offshore wind auction, the Bałtyk 1 project, a 1.56 GW offshore wind farm jointly developed by Equinor and Polenergia, secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) in Poland’s first-ever offshore wind auction. Developer communications on 18 December 2025 confirm that the project was awarded CfD support, providing 25 years of indexed revenue stabilisation. Subsequent industry reporting states that Bałtyk 1 will receive a guaranteed strike price of PLN 492.32/MWh under the CfD. Located about 80–81 kilometres offshore on the Central Shoal, Bałtyk 1 is expected to become Poland’s largest offshore wind farm and generate enough power for over two million households. The CfD award is described as a milestone for both Poland’s energy transition and for enabling Bałtyk 1 to advance towards final investment decision and financing discussions.
On 17 December 2025, the bid window for Poland’s first offshore wind CfD auction closed as the auction was held electronically by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO). Bałtyk 1, prequalified earlier in the year, submitted its bid into this 4 GW auction conducted under the Offshore Wind Promotion Act. The closure of bidding on this date marked the point at which Bałtyk 1’s CfD offer became fixed for evaluation against competing projects, immediately preceding the award of CfD support and strike prices.
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Bałtyk 1 is a large-scale offshore wind farm project being developed by a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and Polenergia in the Polish Baltic Sea. Planned at up to 1,560 MW and conceived for roughly 80–81 km offshore of Łeba, the project is among the largest in the region and the most advance...
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MFW Bałtyk 1 HVDC, Krzemienica 400 kV connection, MFW Bałtyk I, Baltyk 1, Baltyk I, Bałtyk I, Morska Farma Wiatrowa Bałtyk I, Bałtyk 1, Offshore Wind Farm Bałtyk I, MFW Bałtyk I sp. z o.o., PSzW Faza II – MFW Bałtyk I
On 16 September 2025, Equinor and Polenergia held the first dedicated Supplier Day for companies interested in joining the Bałtyk 1 supply chain. The event took place in person at the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Incubator STARTER (ul. Lęborska 3b, Gdańsk) and brought together Polish and international firms seeking to provide components and services for the 1,560 MW offshore wind farm. The session covered procurement packages spanning wind farm infrastructure engineering through to the operational phase, building on earlier 2023 surveys and the supply chain analysis launched after the April 2025 final environmental decision. The developers stated an ambition of up to 45% local content for Bałtyk 1, referencing supplier successes from sister projects Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III. The Supplier Day marked the first structured engagement following Bałtyk 1's CfD prequalification application (submitted 10 June 2025) and preceded the project's bid in Poland's first offshore wind CfD auction on 17 December 2025.
On 11 June 2025, Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) announced it would hold the country’s first competitive offshore wind auction on 17 December 2025, opening the Phase II Contracts for Difference (CfD) process in which the Bałtyk 1 project would participate. The auction will offer up to 4 GW of offshore capacity under 25‑year CfD support, with projects bidding below a maximum strike price set by the Ministry of Climate and Environment. This auction-opening decision is a key financial milestone for Bałtyk 1, as it defines the timetable and framework for securing long-term revenue support and underpins subsequent prequalification and bid activities by the Equinor–Polenergia joint venture.
On 10 June 2025, Equinor and Polenergia submitted a prequalification application for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm to Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (ERO), starting the project’s formal participation in the first offshore wind CfD auction scheduled for 17 December 2025. With a planned capacity of up to 1,560 MW, Bałtyk 1 is described as Poland’s largest and most advanced Phase II offshore project, already holding key permits including an environmental decision, PSZW siting permit and grid connection agreement. The prequalification filing, reportedly the first such application received by ERO, confirms that Bałtyk 1 meets the regulatory and technical criteria to enter the competitive CfD process that will determine its long-term revenue support.
By late April 2025, Equinor and Polenergia had initiated a formal supply chain analysis for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm. Following the issuance of the project’s final environmental decision by the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Gdańsk, the partners began structured work to map and develop collaboration opportunities for domestic firms in the Polish offshore wind supply chain. The analysis is intended to identify potential Polish suppliers across key packages and to support upcoming contractor engagement, with initial meetings with interested companies planned in the near term. This effort is part of the developers’ broader strategy to maximise local content in Bałtyk 1, which is being prepared for Poland’s 2025 offshore wind auction.
On 28 April 2025, Equinor and Polenergia secured the final (ostateczna) environmental decision (decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach) for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm from the Regional Director for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) in Gdańsk. This decision built on the initial DŚU issued in 2024 (see related event) and became final after the statutory appeal period elapsed without successful challenge. The decision covers what is described as potentially the largest offshore wind farm in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea (up to 1,560 MW, ~81 km offshore on the Central Shoal) and confirmed that the proposed technical and organisational mitigation measures would effectively limit environmental impacts. Together with existing permits for offshore cables and the grid connection agreement with PSE, this final environmental decision enabled the project to proceed to auction preparation and supply-chain engagement ahead of the 17 December 2025 first offshore CfD auction. Electricity from the wind farm is planned to be transmitted to the Krzemienica substation via onshore infrastructure in the municipalities of Ustka and Redzikowo.
By 28 April 2025, Equinor and Polenergia had launched a structured supply chain analysis for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm. The analysis is intended to map collaboration opportunities for interested firms and to identify how domestic companies can participate in supplying components and services for the 1,560 MW project. The developers indicated that initial contractor meetings were planned imminently, positioning Bałtyk 1 to leverage Polish industrial capabilities as it progresses toward Poland’s 2025 offshore wind auction.
Equinor and Polenergia’s Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm has secured a formal grid connection agreement with Poland’s transmission system operator, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE). Developer communications in April 2025 state that Bałtyk 1 has already obtained both a permit for laying and maintaining offshore cables and a grid connection agreement. This confirms that the project’s 1,560 MW of planned capacity will be connected at the Krzemienica substation being developed by PSE, with onshore connection infrastructure routed through the municipalities of Ustka and Redzikowo in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The agreement represents acceptance of the grid offer and is a key milestone enabling progression towards participation in Poland’s 2025 offshore wind auction and later construction and operation. As described, the agreement was already in place by the time of the 28 April 2025 announcement.
In 2024, the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm reached a key permitting milestone when the Regional Director for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) in Gdańsk issued the initial environmental decision (decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach) for the project. The decision followed comprehensive environmental impact assessment work, including detailed analyses and modelling of underwater noise from monopile foundation installation and assessments of bird collision risk during operation. The permit confirmed that the proposed technical and organisational mitigation measures would effectively limit the project's environmental impact. With a planned capacity of up to 1,560 MW and a site located around 81 km offshore, Bałtyk 1 is the largest offshore wind farm currently under development in the Polish Baltic Sea. The decision subsequently became final (ostateczna) on 28 April 2025 after the statutory appeal period elapsed — see related eia_approved event on 2025-04-28 for the final/binding decision.
In 2024, additional detailed geotechnical investigation for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm progressed with CPT (cone penetration test) soundings carried out under an approved geological works project. After securing in 2024 both an environmental decision for the wind farm and a decision approving a geological works programme, Equinor and Polenergia conducted CPT surveys to refine understanding of ground conditions for future foundations of wind turbines, substations, and internal cables. The CPT results will be used to determine bearing parameters and help define safe and efficient foundation solutions across the Bałtyk 1 site, complementing earlier geotechnical and seabed studies.
Alongside the 2024 environmental decision, the Bałtyk 1 project obtained a decision approving a geological works project. This permit authorised detailed ground investigations to characterise conditions for future foundations of wind turbines, substations and internal cables. On the basis of the approved geological works plan, CPT (cone penetration test) soundings were conducted to determine bearing parameters and soil properties across the planned wind farm area. The approval of this geological works project was an important technical and regulatory step, enabling Equinor and Polenergia to refine foundation designs and de-risk construction by basing engineering on site-specific geotechnical data.
Alongside the 2024 environmental decision, the Bałtyk 1 project obtained a decision approving a geological works project. This permit authorised detailed ground investigations to characterise conditions for future foundations of wind turbines, substations and internal cables. On the basis of the approved geological works plan, CPT (cone penetration test) soundings were conducted to determine bearing parameters and soil properties across the planned wind farm area. The approval of this geological works project was an important technical and regulatory step, enabling Equinor and Polenergia to refine foundation designs and de-risk construction by basing engineering on site-specific geotechnical data.
In 2024, the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm obtained a formal decision on environmental conditions for the wind farm itself. The decision confirmed that, subject to defined conditions, the planned installation of up to 1,560 MW of turbines located 81 kilometres from shore could proceed without unacceptable environmental impacts. This environmental approval was secured after earlier surveys and preparatory work and formed a key regulatory prerequisite for moving the project towards detailed design and later permitting stages. It represents the first environmental green light specifically for the offshore wind farm portion of Bałtyk 1, ahead of subsequent environmental decisions and auction preparation activity described for 2025.
On 9 October 2024, Equinor and Polenergia, the 50/50 joint venture developers of the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm, signed a contract with a consortium of Ramboll and Projmors for advisory services. The agreement covers design work and support in obtaining the full set of construction permits required to bring Bałtyk 1 to ready-to-build status. The project, located about 81 km off the Polish coast with a planned capacity of up to 1,560 MW, is described as the largest and most advanced initiative of the second phase of offshore wind development in Poland. Under the contract, Ramboll contributes global engineering and consulting expertise, while Projmors brings Polish hydrotechnical design experience. The scope spans design and permitting activities needed to realise the wind farm and prepare it to participate in the planned 2025 offshore wind auction. This award represents a key late-development procurement milestone for Bałtyk 1, formalising the engagement of lead design and permitting advisers for the entire project.
By April 2024, Equinor and Polenergia had submitted an application to PSE (Polish Power Grid) to change the connection conditions for Bałtyk 1 to high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, replacing the original alternating-current connection conditions issued in January 2019. The developers stated the change was justified by the total distance from the connection point (~81 km offshore) and the total planned capacity (1,560 MW), which together favour an HVDC export design. The developers explicitly referenced Equinor's HVDC experience as a shareholder/operator on Dogger Bank in the UK — the world's largest offshore wind farm at the time, which delivered first power via HVDC in 2023 — as the technology benchmark intended to be transferred to Poland. As of April 2024 the change application had been lodged but no formal PSE decision on the revised connection conditions had yet been disclosed publicly. The grid connection point itself remains the Krzemienica substation (PSE) in Redzikowo municipality.
In 2023, Equinor and Polenergia began structured supply chain engagement for the Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm. As part of this effort, Polish companies were invited to take part in a survey assessing their potential to participate in the project, and a dedicated workshop was held for firms interested in cooperating on Bałtyk 1. These activities formed the first organised outreach to domestic suppliers specifically for Bałtyk 1 and marked the start of building a local supply chain for what is planned to be Poland’s largest offshore wind farm.
In October 2023, Equinor and Polenergia commenced a geotechnical seabed investigation campaign for the 1,560 MW Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm in the Polish Baltic Sea. Geoquip Marine, supported by the survey vessel Dina Polaris, began collecting geological data to better understand seabed conditions across the approximately 130 km² project area located about 80 km offshore. The data from this campaign will underpin the feasibility study and initial design of the turbine and offshore substation foundations, contributing to the project’s technical development ahead of participation in Poland’s 2025 offshore wind CfD auction.
The initial Bałtyk 1 seabed geotechnical investigation campaign launched by Equinor and Polenergia in autumn 2023 was planned to conclude in the second half of October 2023. Geoquip Marine, using the survey vessel Dina Polaris, was scheduled to finish collecting geological data needed to characterise seabed conditions for the 1,560 MW project site. Completion of this campaign was expected to deliver inputs for a feasibility study and the preliminary layout and foundation design for turbines and the offshore power station, supporting preparation of Bałtyk 1 for bidding in Poland’s 2025 offshore wind Contract for Difference auction.
On 2 October 2023, Equinor and Polenergia were reported to have engaged Geoquip Marine to carry out seabed investigations for the 1,560 MW Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm in the Polish Baltic Sea. The contractor is performing the campaign using the survey vessel Dina Polaris, collecting geological data needed to understand seabed conditions at the planned turbine and offshore substation locations. According to the developers, this geotechnical campaign is a key preparatory step for Bałtyk 1’s participation in Poland’s planned 2025 Contract for Difference (CfD) auction, as it will inform the feasibility study and preliminary layout design of turbines and offshore power infrastructure.
In late January 2021, MFW Bałtyk I — the project company jointly owned 50/50 by Polenergia and Equinor — signed a grid connection agreement (umowa o przyłączenie) with Poland's transmission system operator, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE), for the connection of the 1,560 MW Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm to the National Power System (KSE) at the Krzemienica substation in Redzikowo municipality (Pomeranian Voivodeship). The contract followed the connection conditions PSE had issued for Bałtyk 1 at the beginning of 2019, which allowed the project to be built to its full capacity of 1,560 MW. The agreement specified the investments required on both the project company's and the operator's side to ensure connection and power evacuation, including the operator's acquisition of land for network investments. Bałtyk 1 was planned to be built and grid-connected after sister projects Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III, which are also developed by the Polenergia/Equinor joint venture. Polish business press (money.pl) announced the signing on 29 January 2021.
Equinor completed the acquisition of a 50% equity interest in the Bałtyk I offshore wind development project from Polenergia, establishing a 50/50 joint ownership structure for the project. The transaction covered a stake in the location licence that allows development of up to 1,560 MW in the Baltic Sea, around 80 kilometres from the port of Łeba. Following the deal, Equinor became responsible for construction preparation as well as potential construction and operational phases, while Polenergia remained co-owner. This strengthened Equinor’s position in the Polish offshore wind market and aligned all three Bałtyk projects (I, II and III) under the same partnership.
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