ScottishPower Renewables and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC- Masdar have completed the installation of all 95 foundations at the USD 5.42 billion East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm off the Suffolk coast, marking what the project partners have described as a major engineering milestone in the delivery of one of the United Kingdom's largest offshore wind projects.

Record-Breaking Structures Anchored to the Seabed

The monopiles installed at East Anglia THREE are the largest to be placed from a jack-up vessel anywhere in Europe. Each monopile weighs between 1,200 and 1,800 tonnes, stands between 67 and 84 metres tall, and has a diameter of up to 10.6 metres.

In total, the structures represent more than 200,000 tonnes of steel anchored into a seabed area covering the equivalent of almost 43,000 football pitches, according to ScottishPower Renewables CEO Charlie Jordan.

Alongside the monopile installation, all 95 transition pieces have also been fitted. Each transition piece stands 20 metres in height, measures 8 metres in diameter, and weighs more than 400 tonnes.

The foundation installation campaign was carried out by offshore energy contractor Seaway7. East Anglia THREE is the first foundation installation campaign completed by Seaway7's jack-up vessel, Seaway Ventus. The company is also continuing work on the installation of inter-array cables at the site.

Turbine Installation Passes the Halfway Mark

With the foundation phase now complete, turbine installation is already underway and has crossed the halfway mark. The 95 turbines will be fitted with 115-metre blades, which ScottishPower Renewables describes as the biggest built and used in the United Kingdom.

Once all turbines are installed and the wind farm becomes fully operational, East Anglia THREE will deliver 1.4 gigawatts of generating capacity, enough to power more than 1.3 million homes.

The project partners have stated their intention to bring the wind farm into full operation by the end of 2026, with both offshore and onshore construction continuing at pace over the coming months.

Partnership Structure and Strategic Context

East Anglia THREE is structured as a 50:50 offshore wind joint venture between ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar, marking Masdar's first such arrangement in the United Kingdom.

The project is also the second to be developed under the broader USD 17.39 billion strategic partnership between Masdar and Iberdrola, ScottishPower's parent company, and the first involving ScottishPower specifically.

Husain Al Meer, Executive Director of Global Offshore Wind and UK at Masdar, said the milestone reflects the strength of the partnership and the expertise of the project team and contractors.

He described offshore wind as essential to delivering affordable, home-grown power at scale as electricity demand accelerates, and said East Anglia THREE forms an important part of Masdar's long-term commitment to the UK offshore wind industry.

Supply Chain Investment and Jobs

ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar say that close to USD 2.71 billion has been invested in the domestic supply chain through the East Anglia THREE project. That figure encompasses a range of contracts and services spread across England.

Foundation design was carried out by Wood Thilsted. Turbine blades are being manufactured at Siemens Gamesa's factory in Hull, supporting jobs in the Humber region.

Vessel charters have been secured through Norfolk-based NR Marine Services and OEG, while metocean and seabed consultancy services are being provided by Partrac.

The project is supporting 2,300 jobs during the construction phase. Once operational, East Anglia THREE is expected to create around 100 long-term roles in the East of England.

Contractor and Partner Statements

Lloyd Duthie, CEO of Seaway7, said the completion of the foundation campaign demonstrates what can be achieved when experienced teams work together with a shared commitment to delivering the energy transition.

He noted that with foundations now in place, the focus turns to progressing inter-array cable installation to bring the project another step closer to generating power.

Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables CEO, described the milestone as a true engineering triumph and pointed to the scale of the turbine blades, at 115 metres, the largest built and used in the UK, as a further demonstration of the project's ambition.

He said ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar are not only powering millions of homes with homegrown renewable electricity but are also creating what he termed a powerful legacy through supply chain investment and the long-term employment it supports.

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