Kelme Wind, Lithuania

Overview
Project Summary Document
Environmental and Social Documentation
Procurement
Complaints

Overview

Financing in favour of UAB "Vejas LT" and WINDLIT, UAB, special purpose vehicles incorporated in Lithuania for the development, construction and operation of two onshore wind farms with 313.7 MW installed capacity in total (114.1 MW and 199.6 MW respectively) in the Kelme region of northwest Lithuania.

Project ID 55604

Status Exploratory

Location

Lithuania

Business Sector

Energy

Notice Type

Private

Project timeline

Exploratory
Passed Concept Review
Passed Structure Review
Passed Final Review
Board Approved
Signed
Implementing
Completed

Company Contact Information

Edgaras Sabaliauskas
edgaras.sabaliauskas@ignitis.lt; treasury@ignitis.lt
+370 617 77707
n/a
www.ignitisgrupe.lt/en
Laisves pr. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius

Project ID 55604

Status Exploratory

Location

Lithuania

Business Sector

Energy

Notice Type

Private

Approval Date

23 Jul 2025

Disclosure date

23 May 2025

Project Description

Project Objectives

The operation will enable constructing and operating two onshore wind farms with a combined capacity of 313.7 MW, with 44 turbine generators supplied by a European wind turbine manufacturer. The Banks proceed will be used alongside Sponsor's equity and co-lenders debt to fund the total cost of the project.

Transition Impact

ETI score: 63

Green: The transition impact arises from delivering climate mitigation benefits through the construction of 313.7 MW of additional renewable energy generation capacity which will displace approximately 707 thousand tonnes of CO2e emissions annually.

Competitive: Some of the generated electricity from the 313.7 MW capacity will be sold in the Lithuanian Nord Pool day-ahead market, which will contribute adding liquidity to the market and benefit the market's development and stability

Client Information

UAB VEJAS LT

UAB "Vejas LT" and WINDLIT, UAB are limited liability companies incorporated in Lithuania. They are fully owned by UAB Ignitis Renewables, a renewable focused subsidiary of AB Ignitis Grupe (the "Sponsor"), a Lithuanian vertically integrated energy utility active in the Baltic region and Poland whose 75% shares are owned by Lithuanian Ministry of Finance and the balance is listed on the Nasdaq Vilnius and London Stock Exchange.

EBRD Finance Summary

Additionality

The Bank offers a large volume instrument to structure one of the largest renewables projects in the country. Additionally, with the Bank's involvement, higher environmental standards above business as usual will be applied which leads to install the state-of-the art AI-based solutions for bird collision prevention and protection of species along with minimization of the energy yield losses. In addition, the Bank supported to develop a public disclosure of the detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ("ESIA") and supplementary package, inclusive of the Stakeholder Engagement plan ("SEP"), and implementation of the Grievance Mechanism and Community Liaison function, to ensure transparency and accountability, engagement with the stakeholders, and dialogue with the affected communities.

Environmental and Social Summary

Categorised A (2019 ESP). The key Environmental and Social ("E&S") issues arising from the development of 313.7 MW Wind Power Plant ("WPP") and grid connection are associated with avifauna impacts from wind turbines, land and livelihood impacts, noise and shadow flicker, community impacts and supply chain.

The Sponsor is well-known to the Bank through previous deals, has robust Environmental, Social, and Governance management system and the institutional capacity to implement the Bank's PRs and has been implementing corporate Environmental and Social Action Plan ("ESAP") under previous projects. Wind turbines for the project have been procured from a European manufacturer, which maintains a robust supply chain, certified E&S management systems, and adheres to the UN Global Compact on responsible business practices.

Due to EBRD requirements, the Kelmi WPP project performed full ESIA and supplementary disclosure package consisting of Non-Technical Summary ("NTS"), SEP and ESAP to be disclosed 60 days prior to the Board consideration. The full ESIA package is available on EBRD website.

Kelmi WPP consists of two onshore wind farms with 313.7 MW installed capacity in total (114.1 MW and 199.6 MW respectively) in Kelmi region of northwest Lithuania. The Project has been permitted under the national regulatory requirements, with national Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") being developed and public hearings conducted in September 2021 held in Kelmi municipality where stakeholders raised questions and received information about the proposed project. Further targeted consultations and project information events were conducted in 2024 and still ongoing in the nearby communities adjacent to the WPP.

The Environmental and Social Due Diligence ("ESDD") has been undertaken by an independent international consultant and included a gap analysis with Lithuania's EIA requirements and preparation of a supplementary package, developed in line with EBRD's guidelines in addition to national EIA, as well as a site visit to verify ESIA fundings. Typical project impacts associated with community health and safety, land acquisition and livelihood impacts, labour risks during operation as construction is almost finished, biodiversity and supply chain risks have been assessed among other E&S aspects.

The Project construction is nearing the end, and the commercial operation date is expected in 2025.

The WPP site is not located in any sensitive area or within any legally protected or internationally recognized protected area. Detailed aviafauna assessment has been undertaken, covering all seasons, which established moderate risk of bird collision. As a precautionary measure the client committed to install AI-based camera-led solution for automated shut down-on-demand of the turbines to prevent bird collision. Such cameras were already installed on a sufficient number of turbines covering the entire area on WPP site and giving 360-degree view. There is a potential risk of bat collision during summer season and the client has committed to implement selective curtailment to prevent bat mortality. The client will be required to implement Post Construction Fatality Monitoring in line with EBRD's best practice guidelines to inform further mitigation measures.

Land use in the project area is predominantly agricultural. Project components such as Wind Turbine Generators ("WTG"), underground power lines, access roads and other associated facilities were built on the land leased from the private landowners under the long-term rental or easement conditions. Project did not cause any physical or economic displacement as the nearest residential areas are located outside the project footprint and outside the Sanitary Protection Zone and as the affected land around the WTGs is minimal compared to the rest of the land plots where the farmers continue their agricultural activities. Construction and operations related disturbances were avoided where possible and compensated where avoidance was not possible or where mitigation measures wouldn't have sufficiently offset the impact. Company maintains an ongoing engagement with the residents and the farmers, including through community grievance mechanism, livelihood restoration and reinstatement works where such measures are required. Project does not impact any sensitive cultural heritage sites and access to all existing community infrastructure is maintained at all times. Potential physical impact shadow flickering mitigation measurement is already in place.

Based on this ESDD an ESAP has been developed and agreed in principle with the Borrower. Other than biodiversity and social mitigation measures described above, it includes, inter alia, development of an integrated Environmental and Social Management System covering the entire facility and all remaining project phases, including via a dedicated Occupational Environmental and Social Management Plan for operations phase, development of a Biodiversity Management Plan; implementing SEP, appointment of community liaison officer or Community Manager and other Environment, Health and Safety staff at the project level; further improvement of the corporate E&S management systems; grievance mechanism, operation Health and Safety measures; and ongoing stakeholder engagement, as outlined in the SEP.

The Bank will be monitoring the implementation of the Project and ESAP through Environmental and Social Reporting, Lenders Advisor reports and site visits as required.

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

None

Company Contact Information

Edgaras Sabaliauskas
edgaras.sabaliauskas@ignitis.lt; treasury@ignitis.lt
+370 617 77707
n/a
www.ignitisgrupe.lt/en
Laisves pr. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius

PSD Last Updated

23 May 2025

Understanding transition

Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with the EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

The ESP and its associated Environmental and Social Requirements (ESRs) set out the ways in which the EBRD implements its commitment to promoting “environmentally sound and sustainable development”. The ESP and the ESRs include specific provisions for clients to comply with the applicable requirements of national laws on public information and consultation, and to establish a grievance mechanism to receive and facilitate resolution of stakeholders’ concerns and grievances, in particular, about the environmental and social (E&S) performance of the client and the project. Proportionate to the nature and scale of a project’s environmental and social risks and impacts, the EBRD also requires its clients to disclose information, as appropriate, about the risks and impacts of projects or to undertake meaningful consultation with stakeholders and consider and respond to their feedback.

More information on the EBRD’s practices in this regard is set out in the ESP.

Integrity and compliance

The EBRD's Office of the Chief Compliance Officer (OCCO) promotes good governance and ensures that the highest standards of integrity are applied to all of the Bank's activities in accordance with international best practice. Integrity due diligence is conducted on all Bank clients to ensure that projects do not present unacceptable integrity or reputational risks to the Bank. The EBRD believes that identifying and resolving issues in the project assessment and approval stages is the most effective means of ensuring the integrity of Bank transactions. OCCO plays a key role in these protective efforts andhelps to monitor integrity risks in projects post-investment.

OCCO is further responsible for investigating allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct in EBRD-financed projects. Anyone, either within or outside the Bank, who suspects fraud or corruption should submit a written report to the Chief Compliance Officer by email to compliance@ebrd.com. OCCO will follow-up all matters reported. It will review all matters reported. Reports can be made in any language of the Bank or of the Bank's countries of operation. The information provided must be made in good faith.

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP, which entered into force on 1 January 2025, sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD enquiries form.

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (for example, through the client’s project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the mechanism is: to support dialogue between project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or the project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate and how to submit a Request for review. Alternatively, contact IPAM by email at ipam@ebrd.com for guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

Project description

The project entails the provision of a senior secured loan on a project finance basis to finance the development, construction and operation of two onshore wind farms with 313.7 MW installed capacity in total in the Kelmė region of northwest Lithuania.

The sponsor of the project is AB Ignitis Grupė, a Lithuanian integrated energy utility active in the Baltic region and Poland

ESIA disclosure package

·Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP)
Non-Technical Summary (NTS)
Stakeholder Engagement Plan (including Grievance Mechanism)
Operational Environmental and Social Management Framework (OESMF)
Bird and Bat Supplementary Report
EIA Screening Report for Kelme I (Klaipeda – Ekosistema, 2019)
Extended EIA Screening Decision for Kelme I (2022)
EIA Report for Kelme II (Klaipeda – Ekosistema, 2019)
EIA Decision for Kelme II (2022)

Download Zip package in English

Download Zip package in Lithuanian

Full ESIA availability

https://ignitisrenewables.com/portfolio/

Local physical addresses, contact name and telephone:

Laisvės pr. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius,
Lithuania
Lina Žibienė
+370 652 69737

And

Lvivo Str. 21A, FLOW, 20th Floor, LT-09313, Vilnius,
Lithuania
Tomas Kairys
+370 52 638480

Enquiries

Environmental and social enquiries

Laisvės pr. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius,
Lithuania
Lina Žibienė
lina.zibiene@ignitis.lt
+370 652 69737

General enquiries

Laisvės pr. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius,
Lithuania
Lina Žibienė
lina.zibiene@ignitis.lt
+370 652 69737

Selected procurement notices related to this project may be shown below. Further procurement opportunities related to this and other projects, if available, maybe be viewed in the EBRD Procurement Portal.

The EBRD's Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), Access to Information policy (AIP) and Project Accountability Policy (PAP) enable sound and sustainable development in its projects. The Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) deals with complaints about environmental, social and disclosure matters related to the Bank’s investments.

No complaints about this project have been made so far.

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Kelme Wind, Lithuania

Overview

Project timeline

Company Contact Information

Project Description

Project Objectives

Transition Impact

Client Information

EBRD Finance Summary

Additionality

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

Company Contact Information

PSD Last Updated

Understanding transition

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

Integrity and compliance

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

Project description

ESIA disclosure package

Full ESIA availability

Enquiries