ScottishPower has signed a landmark £1 billion contract with Siemens Gamesa to supply turbines for its East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm, a project set to produce enough green energy to power nearly one million homes. This agreement, announced today, will see Siemens Gamesa manufacture the blades for the wind farm’s 64 turbines at its Hull factory, providing a significant boost to UK manufacturing and supporting 1,300 local jobs.
The £4 billion East Anglia TWO wind farm, situated 33km off the Suffolk coast, will be equipped with Siemens Gamesa’s SG 14-236 DD turbines, each with a rotor diameter of 236 meters. The wind farm is expected to generate up to 960MW of renewable electricity, a major step in the UK’s clean energy goals.
The deal follows ScottishPower’s recent announcement to double its UK investment from £12 billion to £24 billion between 2024 and 2028. The project also highlights the government’s ongoing commitment to renewable energy, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling it a critical move in the UK’s ambition to become a “clean energy superpower.”
“Our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will fire up our industrial heartlands and create real energy security, cutting energy bills and building jobs in the UK,” Starmer said, emphasizing the importance of partnerships with companies like ScottishPower and Siemens Gamesa.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband praised the investment, calling it a “huge vote of confidence” in the UK’s renewable sector, and reiterated the government’s goal to make offshore wind the backbone of Britain’s clean energy future. Miliband noted that each new turbine would bolster the UK’s energy security and help tackle the climate crisis.
Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, highlighted the local economic impact of the project, saying, “Our East Anglia projects are delivering UK jobs, UK supply chain contracts, and UK green energy.” He urged the government to cut through bureaucratic barriers to expedite the approval of similar green energy projects.
The turbine blades will be manufactured at Siemens Gamesa’s Hull facility, which has expanded significantly in recent years, adding over 600 jobs. Darren Davidson, VP for Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa in the UK and Ireland commented on the importance of maintaining the UK’s momentum in offshore wind, stating, “As well as delivering the blades to power the UK’s energy transition, our factory in Hull is acting as a catalyst for economic growth and green jobs.”
East Anglia TWO was awarded seabed rights in 2010 and was among the successful projects in the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 in September 2024. This latest project adds to ScottishPower’s portfolio in the region, which includes East Anglia ONE and East Anglia THREE, collectively expected to supply clean energy to more than three million homes.
As the UK ramps up its clean energy ambitions, projects like East Anglia TWO are instrumental in achieving net zero targets, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and securing a sustainable future.
