Dogger Bank JV partners SSE Renewables and Equinor, have announced that 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been signed for the 1200MW third phase of the 3600MW offshore wind farm.
Separate PPAs for the whole 1.2GW have been concluded with sponsor offtakers Danske Commodities (40% share) on behalf of Equinor and SSE Energy Supply Limited (20% share) on behalf of SSE Renewables.
Deals have also been struck with external offtakers Centrica Energy Marketing and Trading (20% share) and Shell Energy Europe Limited (20% share).
The agreements are subject to Financial Close on Dogger Bank C, which is expected by the end of 2021.
The deals to buy the power generated by the third phase of the wind farm follow the conclusion of a competitive bidding process.
Danske Commodities will have trading and balancing responsibility for 480MW, while Centrica Energy Marketing and Trading, Shell Energy Europe, and SSE Energy Supply will have responsibility for 240MW each.
SSE Renewables’ Dogger Bank project director Steve Wilson said: “Today we’re celebrating yet another important milestone in the delivery of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
“Concluding offtake power purchase agreements with some of the leading energy trading companies for Dogger Bank C means we are well on track to reach financial close for the third phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm by the end of the year.
“I’m particularly pleased the agreements being announced today see existing project offtake partnerships being extended across all three phases of the wind farm as well as a new project offtake relationship being forged.
“Working together daily with our offtake partners we’ll bring new green energy from the world’s largest offshore wind farm to the National Grid so that we’re powering change for a net zero future for millions of UK customers.”
Equinor vice president for Dogger Bank Halfdan Brustad said: “Securing offtake agreements for Dogger Bank C is very exciting as it brings us one step closer to financial close for the third phase of the project.
“Following close behind Dogger Bank A and B, development of Dogger Bank C is progressing well and we hope to be able to reach Financial Close by the end of this year.
“With this, we will really start to see the magnitude of this world-leading offshore wind farm, and the benefits that a project of this size can bring both to the UK, and wider offshore wind industry.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm secured 3.6GW of offshore wind contracts in the UK government’s 2019 Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions.
The CfDs awarded provide overall price certainty to each phase of Dogger Bank for a period of 15 years.
Due to its size and scale, Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A,B and C
Each phase is expected to generate around 6 terrawatt-hours of electricity a year, totalling 18TWh annually across all three phases.
Once the three phases are complete, which is expected by March 2026, Dogger Bank will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world.
The project will be constructed over 130km out to sea off the north-east coast of England, where wind speeds are higher and more consistent than near to the shore.