The UK Government has awarded planning consent for Vattenfall’s 1.8 GW Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm, meaning that both projects in Vattenfall’s proposed Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone have now been approved.
According to Vattenfall, the zone will produce enough power annually for the equivalent of 3.9 million UK homes, with Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas providing up to 3.6GW of electricity capacity once operational.
Helene Biström, Head of Business Area Wind at Vattenfall, said: "We are very pleased to receive consent for Norfolk Vanguard. Although the decision was unfortunately made too late to enable us to bid this project into the current CfD auction round 4, we will now look into potential opportunities to progress this project, working closely with the supply chain and local communities.”
Danielle Lane, UK Country Manager for Vattenfall, said: “Today is a major step forward for a project that will help to unlock the huge potential of offshore wind for the UK. We’re committed to making sure that these projects bring real, lasting benefit to the East of England – with jobs, supply chain, and skills investment throughout construction and operation.”
“We’ll be working even more closely now with local communities as we begin to take the project towards construction. This will include preparatory works on the ground, but also work with our local partners to make sure we get our plans absolutely right to maximise benefits to the region.”
First power from the Norfolk Vanguard project is expected in the mid-2020s.