The UK government has granted planning permits to RWE and Masdar’s 3GW Dogger Bank South and SSE and RWE’s 1GW North Falls offshore wind farms.

The Dogger Bank South project consists of two offshore wind farms – Dogger Bank South West and Dogger Bank South East – and associated offshore and onshore infrastructure, including high-voltage electricity cables, substations, connections to the National Grid, and ancillary and temporary works.

The development consent order issued by the UK Energy Secretary allows up to 100 turbines at each site. Based on an estimated combined capacity of 3 GW, the projects could generate enough electricity to meet the average annual domestic electricity needs of around 3m typical UK homes.

In January, the project successfully secured contracts for difference with the UK Government through the Allocation Round 7.

The application was submitted to the UK Planning Inspectorate for consideration in June 2024 and accepted for examination in July of the same year.

RWE and Masdar will now conduct detailed final design work and progress procurement decisions with the aim of taking a final investment decision in 2027.

The UK authorities also granted a development consent to the North Falls offshore wind farm. The project is being developed as a 50/50 joint venture between RWE and SSE Renewables.

It is a proposed extension to the southern array of the existing 504MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm, also developed by the same two companies, with SSE as the operator.

The application is for an offshore electricity-generating station approximately 24.5 km from its nearest point at the Port of Lowestoft.

North Falls has a maximum installed generating capacity of up to 1GW and will principally comprise offshore wind turbines, together with associated onshore and offshore infrastructure, including a connection to the electricity transmission network.

The application was submitted to the UK Planning Inspectorate for consideration in July 2024. It was accepted for the very next month.