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Equinor has applied to the Planning Inspectorate for development consent orders for extensions to the Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon offshore wind farms.
The Planning Inspectorate will have 28 days from Friday (2 September) to decide whether to accept the applications for examination.
Both wind farms are located off the north coast of Norfolk. Sheringham Shoal comprises 88 turbines with a combined capacity of 317MW and is jointly owned by Equinor, Masdar and China Resources. Dudgeon features 67 turbines with a total capacity of 402MW and is jointly owned Equinor, Equitix, The Renewables Infrastructure Group and a fund managed by Macquarie Asset Management.
Working on behalf of its partners, Equinor is seeking to double the capacity of both installations.
Given their close proximity, the company is planning to combine the transmission connections for the Sheringham Shoal Extension Project (SEP) and the Dudgeon Extension Project (DEP). In June, energy minister Greg Hands accepted its request for the extensions to be designated as a “pathfinder” project for the government’s ongoing Offshore Transmission Network Review.
Commenting on the planning applications, Equinor project director Kari-Hege Mork said: “Our work on these two projects started over 3 years ago, so today is, of course, a significant milestone in the continuing development of SEP and DEP. However, it is also a milestone for the offshore wind industry, as it is the first time two offshore wind farms in the UK are being proposed with an integrated transmission system, including a single point of connection to shore.
“SEP and DEP has been identified as a pathfinder project, enabling learnings for regulators and the offshore wind industry, and delivering additional renewable energy in line with the government’s recently published British Energy Security Strategy.”
Renewable UK chief executive Dan McGrail: “The industry is working with Government, regulators and communities to find new ways of connecting offshore wind farms more quickly and with fewer local impacts. This first pathfinder project is an important step in upgrading the grid so that we can provide cheap renewable power to consumers.”
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