RWE Wins Almost 7GW in UK’s Record 8.4GW Offshore Wind Auction
January 14, 2026
The U.K. has awarded a record 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity in its latest Contracts for Difference allocation round (AR7), with RWE emerging as the largest winner after securing contracts for 6.9 GW and agreeing a long-term partnership with investment firm KKR.
RWE emerged as the largest single winner, securing 20-year Contracts for Difference (CfDs) for 6.9 GW of offshore wind capacity at a strike price of £91.20/MWh ($122.73/MWh for its Norfolk Vanguard East and West projects, its two Dogger Bank South projects, and the Awel y Môr offshore wind farm.
Alongside RWE’s awards, Scottish utility SSE secured contracts for its 1.4 GW Berwick Bank project in Scotland at a strike price of £89.49/MWh ($120.43/MWh).
The auction also marked progress in floating offshore wind, with contracts awarded to the 100 MW Erebus project in the Celtic Sea, developed by Blue Gem Wind, a joint venture between Simply Blue Group and TotalEnergies, and the 100 MW Pentland floating wind project in Scotland, developed by Highland Wind Limited and majority owned by funds managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
The strike price for floating offshore wind in the auction stands at £216.46/MWh ($291.30/MWh).
RWE also said it had agreed a long-term partnership with global investment firm KKR to jointly develop, construct and operate its Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Vanguard West projects, which together account for 3.1GW of capacity. Under the agreement, KKR will acquire a 50% equity stake in each project, with closing expected in summer 2026, subject to customary approvals.
“By combining KKR’s investment know-how in large-scale, complex infrastructure projects with RWE’s extensive offshore wind expertise, we are well positioned to jointly realize these major projects. With the Dogger Bank South projects and our renowned partner Masdar, we are experiencing firsthand the value of strong partnerships.
“And at Awel y Môr, we are proud to collaborate with Stadtwerke München and Siemens, who bring their expertise and commitment to our shared success. With the successful outcome of AR7, and the agreed partnership with KKR, RWE has reached key milestones in executing its UK offshore wind development pipeline,” said Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE.
“With these results, Britain is taking back control of our energy sovereignty. This is a historic win for those who want Britain to stand on our own two feet, controlling our own energy rather than depending on markets controlled by petrostates and dictators.
“It is a monumental step towards clean power by 2030 and the price secured in this auction is 40% lower than the alternative cost of building and operating a new gas plant.
“Clean, homegrown, power is the right choice for this country to bring down bills for good and this auction will create thousands of jobs throughout Britain,” added Ed Miliband, U.K.’s Energy Secretary.
