The Crown Estate has welcomed the news today that the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy & Climate Change has given consent to DONG Energy for an extension to the existing Walney offshore wind farm.
The current Walney 1 and Walney 2 offshore wind farms already have a combined capacity of over 367MW, and today’s development consent order will allow for a project of up to 750MW in total, with the potential to power around half a million homes.
The Walney Extension offshore wind farm is located in the Irish Sea, off the coast of Cumbria. The extension will cover an area of 145 km² and offshore construction is expected to begin in mid-2017.
Commenting on the decision, Huub den Rooijen, Head of Offshore Wind at The Crown Estate said: “The Walney offshore wind farm extension represents a solid opportunity to capitalise on the existing wind farm’s success in the Irish Sea. As manager of the UK seabed we are delighted to see such positive decisions coming through the planning process, which further support the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind.”
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Press release; Image: crownestate