Weighing in at 1,200-1,800 tonnes, standing 67-84 metres tall and with a diameter of up to 10.6 metres, the monopiles are the largest to be installed from a jack-up vessel in Europe. The installation of all 95 transition pieces – 20 metres in height, 8 metres in diameter and weighing more than 400 tonnes – has also been completed.
Turbine installation is already under way. Meanwhile, offshore and onshore construction will continue at pace over the coming months, enabling the windfarm to become fully operational by the end of 2026. This will deliver 1.4 GW of clean power to the UK - enough homegrown clean power for more than 1.3 million homes, providing greater energy security for the UK.
“East Anglia THREE is our biggest windfarm ever and the completion of the foundation installation is a true engineering triumph” said Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables CEO. “You only have to look at the numbers – more than 200,000 tonnes of steel anchored spot on into a seabed area the size of almost 43,000 football pitches – to get a sense of what we’ve achieved so far. It’s mind-blowing. And there’s more to come as the installation of the 95 turbines, with huge 115-metre blades – the biggest built and used here in the UK – crosses the halfway mark and we move ever closer to bringing the windfarm’s 1.4 GW of clean energy to life. ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar are not just powering millions of homes with homegrown renewable electricity, we’re energising a cleaner, greener and more prosperous future for us all with almost £2 billion invested in the domestic supply chain, thousands of jobs supported during construction and around 100 jobs delivered during the windfarm’s lifetime. That’s not just delivering a positive impact, it’s creating a powerful legacy.”
The foundation installation was delivered by Seaway7, with East Anglia THREE the first foundation installation campaign completed by its jack-up vessel, Seaway Ventus.
East Anglia THREE is the second project to be developed as part of Masdar and Iberdrola’s 15 billion euro strategic partnership and the first with ScottishPower in the UK.
Almost £2 billion has been invested in the UK supply chain. This includes foundation design by Wood Thilsted, the manufacturing of the turbine blades at Siemens Gamesa’s factory in Hull, vessel charters from Norfolk-based NR Marine Services and OEG, and support from metocean and seabed consultants Partrac.
The project is also supporting 2,300 jobs during construction and will create around a hundred long-term roles in the East of England.
“The completion of foundation installation at East Anglia THREE is a significant milestone and a remarkable engineering achievement” said Husain Al Meer, Executive Director, Global Offshore Wind and UK at Masdar. “It reflects the strength of our partnership with ScottishPower and the expertise of the project team and contractors, particularly Seaway7, who are working together to deliver one of the UK’s largest offshore windfarms. East Anglia THREE is Masdar’s first 50:50 offshore wind joint venture in the UK and forms an important part of our long-term commitment to the UK offshore wind industry. With electricity demand accelerating, offshore wind will be essential to delivering affordable, home-grown power at scale. Once operational, East Anglia THREE will provide 1.4GW of clean energy, helping to meet rising demand and strengthen the UK’s energy security.”
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