DONG Energy will make the final investment decision on the 1.2 GW Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm within the next few weeks, the utility’s UK Country Chairman Brent Cheshire told Bloomberg.
Hornsea Project One, comprising 240 turbines, is located 120 kilometers off the Yorkshire coast and covers approximately 407 square kilometers. It is expected to enter into commercial operation around 2020.
DONG Energy acquired the lease for the rest of the Hornsea offshore wind development zone in August 2015, and if built, Hornsea Project Two and Hornsea Project Three could deliver a further 3 GW of offshore wind power.
Back in November 2015, DONG announced a plan to invest further GBP 6 billion in wind farms off UK by 2020.
Cheshire confirmed to Bloomberg that the investment plan remains in place despite declining oil&gas prices and UK’s potential exit from the European Union.
DONG Energy currently has two wind farms – the 258 MW Burbo Bank Extension and the 580 MW Race Bank – under construction off UK.
The company is also the sole owner of the 660 MW Walney Extension wind farm, for which the FID was made in October 2015.