TEC Industry joins a major renewable energy project in Lithuania – the construction of a solar power plant by Orlen Lietuva, a subsidiary of the Polish energy group Orlen, near the oil refinery in Mažeikiai.
The 60-hectare solar park consists of approximately 68 000 bifacial modules, which can generate up to 30% more energy than standard modules. The installed capacity of the power plant will reach 42.2 MW, and the expected annual electricity production is approximately 45 GWh.
The project with a value of 36 million euros is a key part of Orlen Lietuva strategy to increase energy independence and reduce dependence on external electricity supply sources. It is planned that the high-capacity solar power plant will be directly connected to the refinery, and the electricity it generates will be used directly to meet the needs of the refinery, thereby contributing to the creation of a more sustainable and efficient energy consumption infrastructure in Lithuania.
In this project, TEC Industry was responsible for the design works, including the preparation of design proposals (DP) and the technical detail design (TDD). In addition, in collaboration with project partners, the documentation required to obtain a construction permit was prepared and coordinated. The TEC Industry team is actively involved in all construction processes, supervising the implementation of the project.
The Polish company “Electrum Concreo” acts as the general contractor for the project, while the TEC Industry team ensures that the design solutions comply with both technical and applicable legal acts.
During the implementation of the project, the TEC Industry team faced challenges related to project management and coordination. Coordinating the works with foreign companies and local teams required clear and consistent communication, taking into account different work cultures and organisational particularities. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the project, special attention was paid to the precise preparation of technical documentation and the consistent coordination of solutions with all parties involved in the project.
Additional challenges arose due to the implementation of the project at an operational industrial facility, which is subject to extremely strict safety, reliability and compatibility requirements. The refinery operates 24/7, so the design solutions had to ensure uninterrupted operation of critical electrical consumers and smooth integration of the solar power plant. The project also had to consider the complex environment—underground utilities, restricted work zones, ATEX zones and potential soil contamination.
Significant attention was paid to the stability and safety of the electrical grid to ensure reliable and stable operation of the solar power plant and its integration into the existing infrastructure of the refinery. This required the preparation of highly precise and detailed design solutions and technical documentation.
While working on the Orlen Lietuva solar power plant construction project, the TEC Industry team gained valuable experience in designing large-scale renewable energy solutions for the industrial sector and collaborating with international partners.
An important aspect of this project was that design and coordination services were provided in accordance with the updated Technical Regulations for Construction (STR). At the beginning of the design phase, significant amendments to the Law on Construction of the Republic of Lithuania and accompanying legal acts came into effect, requiring additional attention to the compatibility of design solutions, the details of the documentation and close cooperation with all project parties.
Although the recent amendments to the Law on Construction were aimed at the optimization of administrative processes, the acceleration of construction processes, the improvement of transparency, and the assurance of the quality of solutions, they also posed challenges for designers and institutions in terms of adapting to the changes and increased responsibilities.
The TEC Industry team quickly adapted to the changes in the issuance of construction permits and other procedural changes. Although the process changed fundamentally, the updated procedures allowed a part of the stages to be completed more quickly, so this did not have a negative impact on the project deadlines.
The Orlen Lietuva solar park project is considered one of the largest solutions of its kind in an industrial environment in Lithuania. Such a project not only strengthens the energy independence of the company but also contributes to the development of renewable energy, the reduction of CO₂ emissions, long-term sustainability goals and greater resilience in a changing energy environment.
The participation of TEC Industry in this project once again confirms the competence of the company in implementing complex, large-scale energy projects and its ability to quickly adapt to changing legal and technical requirements.
“This advanced new solar power plant is not only a technical solution but also a step toward a more sustainable future, with the use of increasingly environmentally friendly energy. This is one of the most important strategic goals of our group of companies,” says Ramunė Tamošiūnė, the Project Manager of TEC Industry.
