The campaign to install the first of 277 turbines at the offshore wind farm Dogger Bank, off the UK, will kick off shortly.
Work to put in place the first 260-metre machine at the 3.6GW project is expected to begin at the weekend.
The 13MW GE Haliade-X turbines – which are almost twice the height of the London Eye – will be installed off the coast of Yorkshire using a specialist vessel with a lifting capacity of 3200 tonnes.
On a visit to Able Seaton Port in the North East of England to mark the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: “I am pleased to be here in Hartlepool today with SSE as we install the first wind turbine at the new Dogger Bank offshore wind farm.
“This project will generate cheap, clean energy to power millions of homes and provide the UK with greater energy independence in the face of Putin’s energy ransom.
“Disruption to global energy supplies is one of the key risks we’ve highlighted in our new National Risk Register and working with SSE and its partners, we are making Britain more secure.”
The commencement of the campaign to install the turbines is a pivotal moment for the landmark project, which is being developed and built by SSE Renewables in a joint venture with Norway’s Equinor and Vargronn (a partnership of Eni Plenitude and Hitec Vision).
SSE chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said: “Dogger Bank is one of the biggest and most complex engineering and infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.
“Our progress here with our joint venture partners Equinor and Vargronn proves offshore wind projects of this size are now mainstream and will help turbocharge the transition to the cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy system we all want to see.
“It is action, not ambition, that will secure our energy future and this project shows action on a massive scale.
“But we will need many more Dogger Banks to achieve our goals and we look forward to working with government to bring forward more projects at pace.”
Equinor executive vice president renewables Pål Eitrheim added: “The imminent installation of the first turbine at Dogger Bank is a testament to the determination of the UK Government, the project partners, and the supply chain to deliver a world-class offshore wind project for the UK.
“To reach our net zero goals, we will need even more of this collaboration.
“We’re delighted to soon begin operating Dogger Bank from our new O&M base at the Port of Tyne, which will host 400 jobs over the 35-year lifetime of the wind farm.
“We look forward to seeing the 277 turbines installed safely over the next three years, generating green electricity at scale and powering millions of British homes.”