Plans in for offshore wind farm that could power 500,000 homes

If the Awel y Môr project is approved by the UK Planning Inspectorate, up to 50 wind turbine generators would operate on nearly 20,000 acres of the seabed off the coast of North Wales.

Situated 10 kilometres away from Prestatyn in Denbighshire, the offshore wind farm would make landfall at Ffrith Beach. It is being developed by a consortium featuring RWE Renewables UK, Stadtwerke München and Siemens Financial Services.

RWE, which already generates a third of all Wales’ renewable energy, is leading the development of the wind farm. The energy company currently operates three offshore wind farms in North Wales: Gwynt y Môr, Rhyl Flats and North Hoyle.

Awel y Môr would sit adjacent to the Gwynt y Môr site. It would have the ability to generate more than 350 MW of energy, which is capable of providing enough energy for 500,000 homes.

The proposals for the wind farm include installing underground cables and constructing electrical substations and corresponding infrastructure to connect the energy created at the wind farm to the National Grid substation at Bodelwyddan.

While RWE awaits planning permission from the UK government, it is also pursuing a marine license with the Welsh Government.

If both approvals are secured, the wind farm could be operational by 2030.

The application’s reference number with the planning inspectorate is EN010112.