EnBW and BP have kicked-off survey work at a pair of Irish Sea sites secured during the Crown Estate’s UK Round 4 leasing earlier this year.
The developers have begun geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveys of two adjacent 1.5GW capacity sites as they look to get a sense of the environmental conditions in both project locations.
Marine survey company Xocean began seabed mapping operations earlier this month and is using up to three uncrewed surface vessels (pictured) to complete the job.
Gardline will next week start geotechnical and geophysical work using vessel Ocean Resolution.
The developers secured the rights to the sites, which lie around 30km off northwest England and North Wales, in February with option fee bids of £154,000 per megawatt per year.
The final award of the sites is subject to a plan level habitats regulation assessment (HRA) which is currently being undertaken by the Crown Estate.
The seabed landlord told reNEWS the HRA is currently in its initial screening phase and on track to conclude in spring 2022.