Work has officially begun on the construction of an operations and maintenance (O&M) base in Ustka, Poland. The facility will serve the offshore wind farm Baltica 2, currently being developed by PGE Group in partnership with Ørsted. Scheduled to launch in 2027, Baltica 2 is one of Poland’s flagship offshore wind projects. The new base will also support future offshore developments and is expected to significantly contribute not only to Poland’s offshore wind energy sector but also to the local economy and job creation.
“The O&M base we are building in Ustka will play a crucial role in the modern energy sector that PGE is currently shaping, with offshore wind farms like Baltica 2 at its core,” said Przemysław Jastrzębski, Vice President of Finance at PGE. “This investment will ensure efficient operation of wind farms in the Baltic Sea and redefine the role of Ustka’s port by creating new functions and long-term jobs.”
Foundation Stone Laid for a New Energy Hub
On June 3, the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction on the O&M base, located on the western side of Ustka’s port, on a 2.3-hectare site formerly occupied by a fish processing plant.
“This base will be the heart of Baltica 2. From here, we’ll monitor the performance of all 107 wind turbines and the offshore substations—key elements of the infrastructure. It will also serve as the coordination center for maintenance and repair operations,” explained Bartosz Fedurek, CEO of PGE Baltica.
The base will include an administrative and social building, a warehouse, a maneuvering yard, and a quay for high-speed crew transfer vessels (CTVs) used to transport service teams to the offshore turbines. Although it won’t handle heavy installation logistics—those will take place in larger ports like Gdańsk—the Ustka base will become operational during the construction phase in 2026.
“The technicians stationed here will ensure that power production from the wind farm is continuous and uninterrupted. They’ll carry out routine maintenance and respond to any malfunctions. Their CTVs will depart from this base,” added Ernest Lewandowski, project manager at PGE Baltica.
Local and National Impact
The general contractor for the project is DORACO Construction Corporation.
“This is a great opportunity to apply our expertise in complex hydrotechnical projects,” said Radosław Jarosiewicz, Vice President of DORACO. “This base will support the growth of offshore wind in Poland and help drive the national energy transition.”
“More than 30 Polish companies have already been involved in this project. The long-term operation phase—lasting at least 30 years—offers tremendous potential for further engagement of regional businesses, particularly from the Pomeranian region,” said Fedurek. “In the UK, for example, the O&M phase can account for up to 40% of the total local content over a project’s lifecycle.”
The O&M base represents a strategic transformation for the town of Ustka, traditionally reliant on tourism.
“This project gives Ustka a second economic pillar,” said Jacek Maniszewski, the town’s mayor. “Beyond tourism, we’ll now have a service function supporting wind turbines offshore. I hope locals will find employment here, and this will drive our regional economy for decades to come.”
Construction is expected to be completed in Q4 2026, with the base servicing Baltica 2 initially, and potentially other PGE offshore projects—amounting to over 6 GW of total capacity.
“Why Ustka? After evaluating several ports near Baltica 2, Ustka best met our technical, logistical, and navigational requirements,” Fedurek explained. “The local hospitality infrastructure was also important, as our crews will rely on accommodations and dining options during operations.”
Ultimately, the facility is expected to employ around 100 people, with many more indirectly involved through supply chain companies.
Community Engagement and Public Support
“We found a very collaborative environment in Ustka, especially with local authorities,” said Piotr Dziubałtowski, Vice President of Operations at PGE Baltica. “We’ve also launched several local initiatives to inform and engage the public, and the high level of participation shows genuine interest in this investment.”
Baltica 2 – A Milestone for Poland’s Offshore Wind
Baltica 2, part of the first phase of offshore wind development in Poland’s Baltic Sea waters, will have a capacity of 1,498 MW—enough to power approximately 2.5 million households with clean energy. It stands as the largest offshore wind project currently under construction in Poland.
