RWE secures lease agreement for Gwynt y Môr extension

The Gwynt y Môr extension project, which is currently in the early stages of development, will be known as Awel y Môr offshore windfarm, meaning Sea Breeze.

The project partners are now confirmed and include RWE (60%), Stadtwerke München (30%) and Siemens’ financing arm, Siemens Financial Services (10%). RWE is once again leading the development of the project on behalf of the project partners.

Awel y Môr has secured an agreement for leasing an area of seabed of around 106 km² to the west of Gwynt y Môr

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said, “This announcement brings the project a step closer to development and realising the energy-generating potential of the site, together with the creation of more jobs in the local economy and in the supply chain.”

Chair of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board councillor Dyfrig Siencyn said, “The energy sector here in North Wales is integral to our economy and this project will further strengthen the region’s status as a leading location for low carbon energy generation.”

Awel y Môr project manager, Tamsyn Rowe said “We built North Hoyle off the coast of Wales which was the UK’s first large-scale offshore windfarm, and later developed and built Rhyl Flats. RWE has also successfully built and now operates the £2.0Bn (US$2.5Bn) Gwynt y Môr project, which supports more than 100 local jobs. We are now excited to be working on its sister project, Awel y Môr which could not only support the UK’s target to bring greenhouse gases to net zero but also create significant supply chain opportunities and help boost the Welsh economy.

“While the project is an extension of the existing Gwynt y Môr windfarm it will be progressed on its own merit as a nationally significant infrastructure energy project. Over the coming months, we will start development and planning activities where possible in line with government guidance.”

Gwynt y Môr, a 576-MW project, was inaugurated in 2015. In February 2017, The Crown Estate invited operators of existing UK offshore windfarms for expressions of interest regarding the possible extension of their projects.

In August 2019, The Crown Estate confirmed 2.85 GW of new capacity across seven projects, would progress to the awards of rights. RWE and/or project partners put forward three projects and was successful in all three, including Galloper, Greater Gabbard and Gwynt y Môr.

RWE is a shareholder in all three projects and is leading on the development of the Galloper and Gwynt y Môr (now Awel y Môr) extensions. Greater Gabbard Extension will be a joint RWE and SSE development.