Ofgem starts bidding war for offshore wind

UNITED KINGDOM - Contracts worth more than 2.23 billion euros US $3.05 billion are up for grabs following the release of the second round of tenders for high-voltage transmission links for six offshore windfarms in the UK.

Energy watchdog Ofgem predicts that there will be fierce competition for the contracts, which will see companies bidding to win the rights to connect windfarms that have a combined generating capacity of 2.6 gigawatts GW to the mainland grid. The first-round tender, which was launched last December, proved hugely competitive, with more than 4.7 billion euros US $6.43 billion of investment chasing the 1.3 billion euros US $1.78 billion worth of transmission contracts.

Companies will be competing for the right to own and operate the links to 2.8 GW of offshore windfarms for the next 20 years. The first winners will be announced next summer. Tenders for the first three projects — Gwynt-y-Mor, Lincs and London Array — have already begun. Tenders for the other three, Humber Gateway, Race Bank and West of Duddon Sands, are expected to begin in spring 2012.

"We have 40 of Europe's wind and we have 11,000 kilometres of coastline," said Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy on the launch of the second tender. "We ought to be using those resources for our future energy security, but to do this we need to get the investment in the infrastructure that will make this happen. I hope the second round of tendering for owning and operating the links to offshore windfarms will be as successful as the first, where investment interest was four times the necessary level. This competition also means savings for generators and consumers, which I very much welcome."

Ofgem's Chief Executive Alistair Buchanan said: "Britain needs to attract £200 billion US $320 billion of investment in its energy industry over the next 10 years £20 billion US $32 billion will be for offshore transmission links. Therefore, it is very encouraging that we have seen such strong competition for the first round of transmission links. This looks set to continue for the second round, and healthy competition will keep the costs of the links as low as possible and give generators confidence that the offshore regime is proving very attractive to investors and is bringing new players into the UK transmission market."