The Office of Technical Inspection’s (UDT) testing conducted on technical equipment for the Baltic Power wind farm – a joint venture between ORLEN Group and Northland Power – has concluded with a positive result, thereby confirming safe operation of the equipment. The inspections were carried out at the port on the installation vessel.
“The Office of Technical Inspection has been engaged in wind energy from the beginning, covering both onshore and offshore sectors. We are prepared to support public safety in this area. We have a qualified team of engineers who have been conducting technical inspection of wind power plant equipment for years. In this way, we support not only the durability of wind power plants but also the safety of personnel operating technical equipment,” said Paweł Urbańczyk, President of the Office of Technical Inspection, adding: “Given the potential increase in the number of wind farms and consequently the number of devices, we continuously monitor the required number of qualified inspectors to perform testing in the renewable energy sector.”
Equipment safety at wind power plants is overseen by a UDT team of nearly 220 inspectors. Responding to industry feedback, the Office optimizes inspection timeframes by expanding the competencies of inspectors assigned to wind turbine tasks. Through dual authorization, UDT inspectors can simultaneously examine transport equipment such as platforms and pressure equipment such as hydraulic accumulators, consequently reducing wind power plant downtime. Additionally, the use of modern testing methods such as acoustic emission allows avoiding the need to dismantle equipment components.
UDT inspectors, in addition to appropriate qualifications for working on wind turbines, hold industry-required training in GWO (Global Wind Organisation) standards.
Currently, over 22,000 devices operating for wind power plants are under UDT supervision. The Office also ensures worker safety in this sector through certification of wind farm service providers. Through certification, wind power plant owners have assurance regarding the appropriate level of service maintenance provided.
The Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) is an institution appointed to conduct activities aiming at safe operation of technical equipment in Poland. UDT performs nearly one million inspections annually. The Office also operates across the entire energy sector, covering both conventional and renewable energy sources, as well as supporting the construction project of Poland’s first nuclear power plant.
