The team behind Wales’ largest renewable energy project this decade has taken a further step forward by agreeing a lease for its offshore cable transmission corridor.
RWE, the UK’s biggest electricity generator, is leading the development of Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm and is currently awaiting the determination of its Development Consent Order, the examination for which closed in March 2023.
This agreement for a lease of seabed rights with The Crown Estate is one of many milestones achieved as the project team readies itself to hit the ground running if the application is approved this autumn.
In addition, plans are being prepared for managing and investing in the supply chain with priorities covering green growth, infrastructure, innovation and skills, all of which will be key for securing benefit for the region and the wider UK. Potential suppliers are already able to register their interest as part of RWE’s Supplier Transparency Engagement Programme (STEP) initiative.
Tamsyn Rowe, Project Lead for Awel y Môr, said,
“With our Development Consent Order application currently resting with the Secretary of State, we are continuing to work so the project can progress without delay, should it receive approval this autumn.
“Agreeing the lease for the offshore portion of the transmission route with The Crown Estate is an important step and follows the award of a marine licence from Natural Resources Wales to drill a number of test boreholes as part of site investigations.
“With the potential to provide power equivalent to half a million homes, bringing the Awel y Môr project to fruition at its full potential is a major opportunity for north Wales and the wider UK.”
RWE is developing Awel y Môr, in a Joint Venture with project partners Stadtwerke München (30%) and Siemens Project Ventures (10%).
RWE is the leading power producer in the UK, supplying around 15% of all electricity through its diverse operational portfolio of onshore wind, offshore wind, hydro, biomass and gas. The company has ambitions to invest up to £15 billion in clean energy projects in the UK by 2030. In addition, RWE is developing onshore wind farms at Gaerwen and Alwen in North Wales and has ambitions for floating wind in the Celtic Sea.
