• All 95 foundations are installed at the 1.4GW East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm, keeping the project on track for full operations by the end of 2026.
• The roughly $5.4 billion project is supporting 2,300 construction jobs and has directed about $2.7 billion into the UK supply chain.
• Once operational, East Anglia THREE is expected to generate enough clean electricity for more than 1.3 million UK homes.

ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar have completed foundation installation at the East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm, advancing one of the UK’s largest renewable energy projects toward full operations.

All 95 monopile foundations and transition pieces are now installed off the Suffolk coast. Turbine installation is also underway and has passed the halfway point.

The approximately $5.4 billion project will have 1.4GW of generating capacity. It is scheduled to become fully operational by the end of 2026.

Engineering at offshore wind scale

The monopiles weigh between 1,200 and 1,800 tonnes and stand between 67 and 84 metres tall. Their diameter reaches up to 10.6 metres.

According to the developers, they are the largest monopiles installed from a jack-up vessel in Europe.

The project has also installed all 95 transition pieces. Each is 20 metres high, eight metres in diameter and weighs more than 400 tonnes.

Husain Al Meer, Executive Director, Global Offshore Wind and UK at Masdar, said:

“The completion of foundation installation at East Anglia THREE is a significant milestone and a remarkable engineering achievement. It reflects the strength of our partnership with ScottishPower and the expertise of the project team and contractors, particularly Seaway7, who are working together to deliver one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms. East Anglia THREE is Masdar’s first 50:50 offshore wind joint venture in the UK and forms an important part of our long-term commitment to the UK offshore wind industry. With electricity demand accelerating, offshore wind will be essential to delivering affordable, home-grown power at scale. Once operational, East Anglia THREE will provide 1.4GW of clean energy, helping to meet rising demand and strengthen the UK’s energy security.”

UK supply chain captures billions in investment

East Anglia THREE is supporting 2,300 jobs during construction. Around 100 long-term roles are expected to follow in the East of England.

Approximately $2.7 billion has been invested across the UK supply chain. That spending includes foundation design by Wood Thilsted and turbine blade manufacturing at Siemens Gamesa’s Hull factory.

Norfolk-based NR Marine Services and OEG have secured vessel charter work. Metocean and seabed consultancy Partrac is also supporting the development.

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Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables CEO, said:

“East Anglia THREE is our biggest windfarm ever and the completion of the foundation installation is a true engineering triumph. You only have to look at the numbers – more than 200,000 tonnes of steel anchored spot on into a seabed area the size of almost 43,000 football pitches – to get a sense of what we’ve achieved so far. It’s mind-blowing. And there’s more to come as the installation of the 95 turbines, with huge 115-metre blades – the biggest built and used here in the UK ¬– crosses the halfway mark and we move ever closer to bringing the windfarm’s 1.4GW of clean energy to life.”

Offshore wind strengthens UK energy strategy

The wind farm’s 95 turbines will use 115-metre blades, the largest manufactured and deployed in the UK. Offshore and onshore construction will continue throughout the coming months.

Once operational, East Anglia THREE is expected to produce enough electricity for more than 1.3 million homes.

The development is Masdar’s first 50:50 offshore wind joint venture with ScottishPower in the UK. It is also the second project developed under Masdar and Iberdrola’s approximately $17.4 billion strategic partnership.

For UK policymakers and energy investors, the project combines additional domestic generating capacity with industrial investment and employment. That connection is becoming more important as electricity demand rises and governments seek greater energy security.

The scale of East Anglia THREE also illustrates the capital, infrastructure and supply-chain coordination required to expand offshore wind. Delivering projects of this size on schedule will remain central to the UK’s effort to increase clean electricity while reducing exposure to volatile imported energy.