Overview
- Ocean Winds becomes the third Round 5 developer in the Celtic Sea, joining Equinor and Gwynt Glas following their 2025 lease signings.
- The agreement grants exclusive development rights, with design work, site surveys, EIA, public engagement and planning consents required before a construction and operations lease can be sought.
- The project could be delivered in phases to a total capacity of 1.5 GW, with potential operation targeted around the mid-2030s according to the process outlined by The Crown Estate.
- Round 5 aims for up to 4.5 GW across three sites, which The Crown Estate estimates could power about four million homes, create more than 5,000 jobs and add roughly £1.4 billion to the UK economy.
- Ocean Winds, a 50:50 joint venture between EDPR and ENGIE with floating wind experience including Portugal’s WindFloat Atlantic, won backing from UK officials, with Energy Minister Michael Shanks calling the step a boost for jobs and energy security.