The UK Energy Secretary, Claire Coutinho, has given the green light for Equinor’s expansion plans for the Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon wind farms off the Norfolk coast in England. These extensions, totaling 719MW, will effectively double the capacity of the existing operational projects, which have been online since 2012 and 2017, respectively.

Equinor’s development consent includes provisions for an integrated transmission system and separate grid connections for each project, all within the same onshore footprint. The connection to the national grid will be established at the Norwich Main substation.

The Sheringham Shoal Extension is set to incorporate 23 turbines, while the Dudgeon Extension will feature 30 machines.

Equinor’s vice president for UK renewables, Halfdan Brustad, expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing its significant contribution to the UK’s offshore wind and net-zero targets by 2030. He highlighted the careful development process over the past five years, including innovative transmission planning and close community engagement.

With a longstanding presence in Norfolk, Equinor looks forward to further positive contributions to the local region and the growth of offshore wind in the UK. The Norwegian developer will now thoroughly review the granted consent to determine the next steps towards the final investment decision for these projects.