The UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, has approved the construction of the 1.5GW Mona Offshore Wind Project in the Irish Sea.
Located entirely in Welsh waters, the project will be situated 28.8km from the north coast of Wales, 46.9km from the northwest coast of England, and 46.6km from the Isle of Man.
The wind farm, a joint project between BP and EnBW, will connect to the national grid via a landfall near Llanddulas, Conwy, and the Bodelwyddan National Grid substation in Denbighshire. It is set to enhance the supply of clean, domestically produced energy for the UK.
The Mona Offshore Wind Farm will feature up to 96 wind turbines, generating approximately 1.5GW of electricity.
It will also include four offshore substation platforms, various offshore and onshore cables, and a connection to the existing Bodelwyddan National Grid Substation.
The project is expected to produce enough electricity to power over one million British homes, significantly contributing to the UK’s clean energy goals.
The development of Mona is anticipated to stimulate economic growth by creating supply chain opportunities and supporting local communities in Wales and across the UK. The developer has established a portal for local businesses to participate in the project, potentially supporting thousands of jobs.
These roles, including engineering and maintenance positions, will contribute to the 100,000 jobs projected to be supported by the offshore wind sector in Great Britain by 2030.
The Mona Offshore Wind Project will further this effort by providing energy for over a million homes, supporting the Prime Minister’s mission to reduce energy bills and achieve clean power by 2030.
Ed Miliband said: “This government was elected to take back control of our energy- and in our first year we have shown that the clean power revolution is here to stay.
“Whether it’s offshore wind, solar or nuclear, we are backing the builders not the blockers so we deliver the clean homegrown power this country needs to protect family finances through our Plan for Change.”
