UK: ScottishPower Renewables Agrees Thirty-Year Deal with Port of Lowestoft

The day after the company officially submitted plans for the East Anglia THREE project, a thirty-year deal has been agreed with the Port of Lowestoft to act as a construction and operations hub for the East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm.

Following discussions with Associated British Ports, ScottishPower Renewables will utilise the Port of Lowestoft as its construction management base for East Anglia ONE, and also the main Operations and Maintenance hub for the anticipated 30 year lifespan of the windfarm.  The agreement will be worth approximately £25 million over the lifetime of the project.

Initial investment in the port will be used to establish the new operations facility and to carry out upgrades and modifications to the port and surrounding harbour area. Approximately 100 people will be employed full-time at the port when East Anglia ONE is completed, with thousands of contractors and supply chain operators working from the site every year and contributing substantially to the local economy.

This follows on from ScottishPower Renewables’ announcement on Wednesday that plans for the East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm had been officially submitted to the Planning Directorate. The development will require up to 172 wind turbines and covers an area of 305km2 in the southern North Sea. Once completed, East Anglia THREE could power the annual electricity demands of more than 750,000 homes. If approved, it is anticipated that onshore construction could begin in 2021, with offshore work starting in 2022 and first power generation achieved in 2023.

Jonathan Cole, Managing Director of Offshore Wind at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “Today’s announcement will help to make the East Anglia region the leading destination for investment and job creation in the UK’s Offshore Wind Power industry.

“A new vision document published this week highlighted the huge potential of offshore wind power to contribute sustainable, cost-effective electricity for the UK, as well as helping the economy to grow.  What happens in East Anglia will be fundamentally important in delivering this vision. Off the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk billions of pounds of investments are being made, and tens of thousands of job opportunities are being created.

“In Lowestoft, we will manage construction activities and operate and maintain our East Anglia ONE project for at least the next three decades. This will support highly skilled, long-term jobs, both directly and across our supply chain. Every year during the construction phase and operations phase of the project, millions of pounds will be injected in to the local economy.

“Our East Anglia THREE planning submission also highlights our continued commitment to the region, and the tremendous potential in the East of England to develop further large offshore wind projects. We have helped to drive costs down in the industry, which increases the prospects of these major infrastructure projects being delivered. We hope for a successful outcome to our application, and we look forward to continue growing the offshore wind industry in East Anglia.”

ABP Director Andrew Harston said: “ABP’s Port of Lowestoft already supports around 1,200 jobs and contributes around £80 million to the economy each year. This significant investment by ScottishPower Renewables, with its potential to create long-term, skilled jobs and boost the economy, is another example of how the port can make a valuable contribution to the prosperity of the town and its hinterland.”