The UK Planning Inspectorate has accepted for consideration proposals for the 1100MW Awel y Mor offshore wind farm off Wales.
The project, which is being developed by RWE Renewables on behalf of the project’s partners, has now moved into the pre-examination phase of the consenting process before a public examination, expected to begin in September 2022.
The project includes up to 50 turbines with a maximum tip height of 332 metres and is as a sister project to Gwynt y Mor.
If approved, the Awel y Mor offshore wind farm could be built approximately 10.5 km off the coast of north Wales, to the west of the existing Gwynt y Mor wind farm, with its grid connection planned to reach the shoreline between Rhyl and Prestatyn.
The final decision on consent will rest with the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), with a decision anticipated in 2023.
As the project lies in Welsh waters, a Marine License is also required from Welsh Government through Natural Resources Wales.
Awel y Mor project manager Tamsyn Rowe (pictured) said: “This is a significant milestone for the development of this nationally significant project, which will help meet the targets in the recently published UK energy security strategy.
“The application is made up of hundreds of pages of detailed reports and is the culmination of a great deal of hard work by the project team.”
“If approved, this project will also continue RWE’s long-term role as the largest provider of renewable energy in Wales.
“This includes projects like Gwynt y Mor and Clocaenog, and the apprenticeship scheme at Coleg Llandrillo, which will develop Wales’ skills and capabilities in the sector for many years to come.”
RWE, one of the world’s leading renewables businesses, is developing Awel y Mor with project partners Stadtwerke München (30%) and Siemens Financial Services (10%).