Installation and Operation of the Offshore Wind Farm in Lithuania’s Territorial Sea ( 2021, finished)

Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania is going to develop a major installation for the harnessing of wind power for energy production (wind farm). Therefore, an environmental impact assessment of the project has been initiated.

The activity consists of installation and operation of the offshore wind turbine farm of about 700 MW installed capacity in the Lithuanian marine territory of the Baltic Sea. Taking into account the development trends of wind turbine technologies, technical solutions of existing wind farms in the Baltic and North seas, and the economic efficiency aspect, the proposed wind farm of about 700 MW installed capacity will consist of wind turbines with a capacity of up to 20 MW. The height of the offshore wind turbines may vary (but is not limited to) from 140 m to 300 m; the number of such turbines in the proposed territory may vary (but not limited to) from 43 to 87. The distance from the site of the proposed activity to the Latvian exclusive economic zone (hereinafter referred to as EEZ) is about 2.8 km, to the Swedish EEZ – about 77 km, and to the Russian EEZ – about 40 km.

According to Lithuanian legislation and Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, amended by Directive 2014/52/EU (hereinafter referred to as the EIA Directive), installations for the harnessing of wind power for energy production (wind farms) are subject to screening for environmental impact assessment (hereinafter referred to as EIA) in order to decide whether an EIA is obligatory. However, due to the nature and size of the proposed activity, environmental sensitivity of the location and the need for environmental studies, the developer is conducting EIA without the procedure of screening. Therefore, the decision regarding the environmental impact of the proposed economic activity will be made by the competent authority – Environmental Protection Agency, taking into account potential environmental impacts, proposals of the public concerned, the results of consultations with national entities of environmental impact assessment (other state institutions and the executive institution of relevant municipalities), and the results of international consultations.

Decision Regarding the Environmental Impact of the Installation and Operation of the Offshore Wind Farm in Lithuania’s Territorial Sea, No. (30-2)-A4E-10794 of 23 October 2023

Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report on which the decision was based (in English)

Responses of countries on the conclusion of transboundary EIA consultations:

Denmark (21/08/2023)

Finland (16/08/2023)

Latvia (25/08/2023)

Poland (18/08/2023, in Polish)

Sweden (24/08/2023), annex 1, annex 2, annex 3

Responses of countries (after submission of the report):

Denmark (22/05/2023)

Finland (07/06/2023), annex 1, annex 2, annex 3, annex 4, annex 5

Latvia (25/05/2023)