A major step forward for the UK’s offshore wind sector is underway off the North Wales coast, where the
Awel y Môr project is set to deliver substantial economic and industrial benefits to the region. The scheme, being developed in the Irish Sea by
RWE, was among the successful projects in the UK Government’s latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) round announced on 14 January.
During a visit to the Port of Mostyn on 22 January, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens met with project developer RWE to review progress and discuss the company’s wider ambitions for the site. Once completed, Awel y Môr will comprise up to 50 turbines positioned roughly 10km offshore, to the west of the existing Gwynt y Môr wind farm.
Jo Stevens said: “The development of the wind project is huge news for North Wales and will deliver more well-paid, high-skilled jobs and growth to the local area. The UK Government is working with investors to develop home-grown clean power which will secure our energy supply and bring down bills for good. Wales is at the centre of this and projects like this will help us achieve those goals.”
Philippa Powell, RWE’s project lead for Awel y Môr, said: “Following our success in the most recent CfD auction round, it was a pleasure to be able to update the Secretary of State for Wales on our plans for Awel y Môr for the coming year, as we work towards a final investment decision. Capable of powering more than half the homes in Wales once fully realised, the wind farm represents a key part in RWE’s commitment to investing in renewable energy here in Wales, alongside the Pembroke Net Zero Centre, and our onshore wind and solar projects.”
The most recent CfD auction has been described as the largest single procurement of offshore wind energy in British and European history, securing 8.4GW of new capacity — enough to supply the equivalent of 12 million homes. According to Government estimates, the round is expected to unlock around £22 billion of private investment and support around 7,000 jobs across the UK.
Alongside Awel y Môr, the Erebus floating wind project in the Celtic Sea off Pembrokeshire also secured a contract, signalling a broader acceleration in Wales’s role within the UK’s clean-energy ambitions.