• Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK, has issued two decisions concerning the construction of wind farms in the Polish economic zone in the Baltic Sea. The first of them was issued for Polska Grupa Energetyczna, while the other for PKN Orlen.
• The entrepreneurs were given a go-ahead to establish joint-ventures with their foreign partners.

– The use of the Polish maritime zone for energy production is extremely important from the point of view of the interests of Polish consumers and entrepreneurs, and contributes to the protection of the environment. I have issued two consents for this type of projects in which state-owned companies will be participating. It was our task was to review whether the planned transactions could lead to a restriction of competition. The investigations we conducted have ruled out such a possibility - says Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

The first concentration scheme is related to the establishment of a joint venture between Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) and Ørsted Wind Power. The latter company is part of a capital group controlled by the Danish State. Its main line of business is in generating energy from renewable sources. The joint entrepreneurs will be established based on PGE-controlled companies that are already in existence: Elektrownia Wiatrowa Baltica – 2 and Elektrownia Wiatrowa Baltica – 3. Currently, their activities focus primarily on preparing for the construction of two offshore wind farms located in Poland’s exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea. In the future, the companies will construct and operate the farms in question.

The other concentration scheme is concerned with the establishment of a joint venture between PKN Orlen and NP Baltic Wind. The partner of the Polish corporation belongs to the Canadian-based Northland capital group which develops, builds and operates electricity generation sources using clean and environmentally friendly technologies. The joint entrepreneur will be established based on Baltic Power - a company that is currently controlled fully by PKN Orlen. The Company is currently preparing for the construction of an offshore wind farm in Poland’s exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea. In the future, it will be generating and marketing the electricity obtained at that farm.

Pursuant to the Act on Competition and Consumer Protection, a transaction is subject to notification to an antitrust authority if it involves entrepreneurs whose combined turnover in the preceding year exceeded EUR 1 billion worldwide or EUR 50 million in Poland. The decisions issued shall remain valid over a period of two years.

The UOKiK website  publishes information on all concentration-related anti-trust proceedings conducted by the Authority. For more information about the principles governing concentration of entrepreneurs please see the dedicated paper.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
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