Welsh Erebus project granted Section 36 consent with deemed planning permission

The news follows the recent decision by Natural Resources Wales to provide Blue Gem Wind, the joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group a marine licence. First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, said: “The Erebus project has the potential to show the world that Wales and the Celtic Sea can deliver renewable energy alongside the sustainable management of our marine resources. In determining the marine license and the planning consents, the Welsh Government and our partners in Natural Resources Wales have enabled this project to move forward to apply for subsidy support from the UK Government."

Mike Scott, Project Managing Director at Blue Gem Wind, added, “We welcome the decision from Welsh Ministers to grant the necessary planning consents for project Erebus and have been working with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales and other key stakeholders since 2019 to develop a project that is sympathetic to the natural environment and minimises impacts to local communities and stakeholders. Erebus, which will be the first floating wind farm in Wales, will play a crucial role in advancing the deployment of what will become a globally important low carbon technology.”

Erebus is due to be commissioned in 2026.