Dong Energy's 573MW Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the UK has started generating power.

The wind farm is located off the North Norfolk coast, about 16.8 miles off Blakeney Point and 17.4 miles off the Lincolnshire coast at Chapel St Leonards.

Dong Energy owns a 50% stake in the wind farm, while Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 5 owns a 25% interest. Macquarie Capital and Sumitomo each hold 12.5% stakes.

Comprising 91 6MW wind turbines manufactured by Siemens, the offshore wind farm is expected to cover the annual electricity needs of more than half a million UK households.

So far, the initial turbines of the wind farm have been installed with power generated from the first turbine being transmitted to the national grid.

A majority of the wind turbine blades of the wind farm, estimated to be around 180 are being manufactured in Hull at the Siemens blade factory. They are expected to be installed in the due course of the year.

Dong Energy Race Bank Programme director Klaus Skoust Møller said:  "I'm delighted we've reached first power at Race Bank, which is an important milestone that proves every part of the transmission and generation equipment at the wind farm is successfully working. Construction is progressing well and on schedule.

"It will be great to see the first blades from Hull loaded out and installed on the remaining turbines in the coming weeks as well."

Dong Energy’s construction base located in the Grimsby Fish Docks is handling the construction of the Race Bank offshore wind farm.

The Danish energy firm is planning to invest in Grimsby to establish the largest offshore wind operations and maintenance hub in the UK.