Lithuania to relaunch second 700-MW offshore wind tender

The tender for the right to develop a second 700-MW offshore windfarm will be relaunched on 9 June 2025, the Lithuanian government has decided. The tender will be implemented by the National Energy Regulatory Council.

The relaunch follows what the government described as a “renewal of the tender terms and conditions, the procedure for recalculating the transaction price and development fee offered by the winning bidder.” The first time the tender was launched it failed to attract sufficient bidders.

When the tender was first launched, only one company, Ignitis Renewables – which together with partner Ocean Winds won the country’s first offshore wind tender – bid in response to the tender to construct the second 700-MW windfarm. At least two bidders were required for the tender, launched in January 2024, to be considered successful. Lithuanian’s Ministry of Energy said it would consult with market players, which it has now done, and bring forward a revised tender at a later date.

In a statement, the government said, “It has been established that the transaction price will be recalculated for eight years from the date of confirmation of the tender winner, indexing the transaction price and the change in the average annual electricity prices on the Lithuanian exchange due to inflation in the previous year. 

“It has also been ensured that any financial contribution by consumers to the offshore windfarm will only be made once the farm starts generating electricity, that is, around 2033. 

“In addition, the updated tender terms and conditions will ensure equal conditions for electricity transmission. The priority right to transmit electricity generated by offshore windfarms over onshore wind and solar power plants will be abolished. This will ensure balanced conditions for the development of offshore and onshore power plants. It is also envisaged that the income tax paid by the successful tenderer will be used to finance services of public interest.”

Registration for submission of documents will be open until 8 September 2025 and as with the first occasion that the tender was launched, the tender will be considered valid if two or more participants take part.