Planning approval for RWE-SSE £1billion offshore windfarm

• 10 years ago (2013-05-27)
• Junior Isles

Europe 1061 Renewables 751

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Power firms SSE and npower, a subsidiary of RWE, have been given permission for construction of a £1 billion, 140 turbine wind farm off the British coast.

‘Galloper’, a 50:50 joint venture between the two companies, has received development consent from the UK government for a site situated 16 miles east of the Suffolk coast, close to the existing Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm.

Jim Smith, SSE’s managing director of renewables, said the decision represented “important reassurance” on the UK government’s commitment to developing offshore wind power.

“As well as having the potential to generate significant amounts of renewable energy, Galloper is a major infrastructure project that will bring investment and jobs into the UK,” Smith said.

The final generating capacity of the completed project will be 504 MW, and construction will help produce 850 jobs in the area.

The additional 140 turbines will double the capacity of the existing Greater Gabbard wind farm.

RenewableUK has praised the timing of the official approval as multinational turbine manufacture firms are in the process of deciding where to locate factories to supply windfarms such as Galloper.

“That’s why it’s so important to get the policy framework right in the Energy Bill, so that the offshore wind supply chain can thrive in the UK,” said Nick Medic, RenewableUK’s director of offshore renewables.