Masdar, RWE Get Closer to Official Go-Ahead for 3GW UK Offshore Wind Farms
July 14, 2025
The U.K. Planning Inspectorate has concluded its six-month Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) examination period for the Dogger Bank South (DBS) offshore wind farms, with the consent decision now expected within the next six months.
With an estimated combined installed capacity of 3 GW, the DBS projects are nationally significant infrastructure projects for the U.K.’s energy system and would be capable of supplying around 3 million UK homes with electricity annually.
They would be located in shallow waters on the Dogger Bank, over 100km off the north-east coast of England.
The DBS offshore wind farms are a joint venture (JV) between RWE and Abud Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar).
RWE leads both DBS projects, overseeing development, construction, and operations on behalf of the JV partnership.
Since the start of the examination this January, the Planning Inspectorate has assessed the environmental, socio-economic and technical attributes of the DBS projects against the U.K.’s standards for sustainable infrastructure development.
The Inspectorate will prepare and submit a detailed report with recommendations to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero within the next three months, and a consent decision is anticipated within the next six months.
“We are delighted to have reached this milestone for the DBS projects, the most powerful offshore wind farms currently progressing through the NSIP planning process. Beyond delivering clean electricity to millions of homes, these projects have the potential to provide a significant economic boost, particularly to the north-east of England, supporting thousands of jobs during development and construction,” said Danielle Lane, Director of Offshore Wind Development UK & Ireland, RWE, said:
“Today’s announcement brings us one stage closer to the all-important green light for the DBS projects, which are set to play a leading role in the U.K.’s energy transformation. Masdar has been a key partner in the U.K.’s clean energy journey and these projects will help power millions of homes, drive sustainable economic growth and create much-needed jobs.
“We look forward to continuing working with RWE in bringing these projects to fruition and supporting a clean, secure energy future for the U.K.,” added Husain Al Meer, Director, Global Offshore Wind at Masdar.
