Renewables developer RWE has marked 10 years of electricity generation at Welsh offshore wind farm Gwynt y Môr.
The 576MW wind farm (pictured) is currently the largest operating renewable energy project in Wales.
From June 2015 to June 2025, the wind farm off the North Wales coast generated around 18,000GWh of electricity, enough to power a total of around 5.5 million typical Welsh and UK homes, or 550,000 homes a year for 10 years.
RWE’s offshore wind chief executive Sven Utermöhlen said: “A decade of operation at Gwynt y Môr is a defining moment for RWE, the region, and our passionate team.
“This wind farm has been at the heart of transforming North Wales into a hub of expertise for offshore wind energy and has set a blueprint for potential new projects across the UK.
“The experience RWE has gained here has been instrumental in establishing our company as one of the world’s offshore wind leaders and a key player in the UK power sector.”
Gwynt y Môr is a joint venture between RWE (50%), Stadtwerke München GmbH (30%) and Macquarie GIG (20%.) RWE originally developed and built the 160-turbine project and continues to be responsible for operating the offshore plant on behalf of its partners.
RWE is also developing an extension project, Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm, to the west of Gwynt y Môr with partners Stadtwerke München and Siemens Financial Services.
The project already has approval for 50 turbines, making it Wales’s largest consented renewables project.
Staff past and present marked the 10 years of operations. The anniversary was also recognised by Welsh politicians, including Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli and Becky Gittins MP for Clwyd East, who visited the turbines and met with staff and contractors.
Dame Nia Griffith MP said: “Gwynt y Môr shows how renewable energy projects can bring extraordinary benefits, not only by powering hundreds of thousands of homes and tackling climate change, but by strengthening communities, creating opportunities, and enhancing skills. It’s inspiring to see the ongoing contribution it makes to a more sustainable future for Wales.”
Since its inauguration, Gwynt y Môr has regularly supported communities in which it operates and has been a catalyst for regional investment. The project led to key developments at the Port of Mostyn, where RWE built a bespoke operations and maintenance base providing over 100 long-term, skilled local jobs. A new pontoon landing stage was also installed so that crew transfer vessels (CTVs) could operate during lower tides.
Beyond infrastructure, Gwynt y Môr has fostered the development of skills in the region. A bespoke offshore wind apprenticeship training programme at Coleg Llandrillo was launched in response to the RWE wind farm’s operation and is now RWE’s national apprentice training hub.
Through Gwynt y Môr, RWE has made significant investments in its neighbouring communities. During construction, a £690,000 Tourism Fund unlocked transformational projects, including the creation of the Green Links Cycle Trail. Spanning local attractions from Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea, the trail has boosted regional tourism and connected key sites for locals and visitors.
Long-term, the Gwynt y Môr Community Fund will invest over £19 million of flexible funding to support local projects over the operational lifetime of the wind farm.