PGE Baltica has selected the contractor for the UXO strategy for the Baltica-2 and Baltica-3 projects

UXO risk analysis is one of the key elements of the preparatory stage for the construction of PGE's offshore installation in the Baltic Sea. It will define potential threats of the post-war unexploded ordnance presence on the seabed. Based on the analysis, Ordtek Limited will also prepare a risk mitigation strategy for the Baltica-2 and Baltica-3 offshore wind farm projects.

– There are numerous post-war unexploded ordnance along the Baltic coast. We need to analyse their locations and develop plans to reduce the risk of their presence. It will allow us to conduct safe and efficient construction of the offshore wind turbines’ foundations and all of the related installation components – said Monika Morawiecka, PGE Baltica’s CEO.

The strategy that Ordtek Limited will develop will be carried out on the basis of previously collected data by PGE Baltica. The company responsible for the implementation of the Offshore Program in the PGE Group, together with subcontractors, has already carried out a series of research that has determined the location of potential unexploded ordnance in the areas where PGE Baltica will operate. Among them were bathymetric, sonar and magnetometer surveys, as well as data research.

The contractor chosen to carry out the UXO analysis is the British specialist company Ordtek Limited. The company implements a specialist approach to the issue of identifying the issue of hazards and risks related to unexploded ordnance. It uses an intelligent combination of risk management techniques and geophysical expertise to safely manage the working areas. The company has extensive experience in developing analysis for the construction of offshore wind farms from their work in Denmark, Germany, and many other European countries.

The UXO strategy is another step into the implementation of the preparatory stage for the construction of the Baltica-2 and Balitca-3 offshore wind farms – the most advanced projects of the PGE Capital Group's Offshore Program. In 2020, PGE Baltica managed to implement significant actions towards the implementation of the Program:

• in January, the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Gdańsk issued a decision on environmental conditions, the so-called environmental decision for the Baltica-2 and Baltica-3 farms.
• in February, the company completed a two-year wind-measuring campaign on the Baltic Sea based on the usage of floating LiDAR - laser measuring device that tests the velocities of air masses moving over waters. The research provided high-quality data, that confirmed the appropriate wind conditions for the investment.
• in August, PGE Baltica launched a procurement procedure for preliminary geotechnical studies of the seabed for the Baltica-2 Wind Power Plant and Baltica-3 Wind Power Plant.
• in October, PGE Baltica signed a contract with DHI Polska Sp. z o.o. for a meteorological and oceanographic study (the so-called met-ocean), i.e. building a comprehensive model, including wave conditions, currents, wind speed, temperature, and salinity of the water in the Baltic Sea.
• also in October, has been selected the contractor for the design documentation. The company also obtained a permit to build a connection for the Baltica-3 offshore wind farm and a feasibility study for the connection for the second Baltica-2 offshore wind farm.
• in November, PGE Baltica signed a contract with the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute. The cooperation between entities will include technical consultancy in the field of geological and engineering works for the Baltica-2 and Baltica-3 power plants.