Wales' Largest Offshore Wind Farm Marks 10 Years Powering the Nation
RWE has marked 10 years of electricity generation at Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm off the North Wales coast.
At 576 megawatts (MW) installed capacity, Gwynt y Môr is currently the largest operating renewable energy project in Wales and, at the time of its inauguration in June 2015, was the second largest offshore wind farm operating globally.
The project has created long-term, skilled jobs within the company and across its supply-chain, while unlocking significant economic investments for Welsh communities and companies alike, RWE said.
From June 2015 to June 2025, Gwynt y Môr is estimated to have generated enough clean power to: Power a total of c.5.5 million typical Welsh and UK homes, (or 550,000 homes a year for 10 years)
Drive a total of c. 257 million Electric Vehicles 400 km
Run a total of c. 205 million light bulbs 24/7 for a year
Sven Utermöhlen, RWE CEO Offshore Wind, said:
'A decade of operation at Gwynt y Môr is a defining moment for RWE, the region, and our passionate team. This wind farm has been at the heart of transforming North Wales into a hub of expertise for offshore wind energy and has set a blueprint for potential new projects across the UK. The experience RWE has gained here has been instrumental in establishing our company as one of the world's offshore wind leaders and a key player in the UK power sector.'
Gwynt y Môr is a Joint Venture between RWE (50%), Stadtwerke München GmbH (30%) and Macquarie GIG (20%.) RWE originally developed and built the 160 turbines project and continues to be responsible for operating the offshore plant on behalf of its partners.
RWE is also developing an extension project, Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm, to the west of Gwynt y Môr with partners. The project already has approval for 50 turbines, making it Wales's largest consented renewables project.
Staff past and present marked the 10 years of operations. The anniversary was also recognised by Welsh politicians, including Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli and Becky Gittins MP for Clwyd East, who visited the turbines and met with staff and contractors.
Dame Nia Griffith MP, said:
'Gwynt y Môr shows how renewable energy projects can bring extraordinary benefits, not only by powering hundreds of thousands of homes and tackling climate change, but by strengthening communities, creating opportunities, and enhancing skills. It's inspiring to see the ongoing contribution it makes to a more sustainable future for Wales.'
Since its inauguration, Gwynt y Môr has regularly supported communities in which it operates, and has been a catalyst for regional investment.
The project led to key developments at the Port of Mostyn, where RWE built a bespoke Operations and Maintenance base providing over 100 long term, skilled local jobs. A new pontoon landing stage was also installed so that Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) could operate during lower tides; an innovation that enhanced the port's operational competitiveness.
Beyond infrastructure, Gwynt y Môr has fostered the development of skills in the region. A bespoke offshore wind apprenticeship training programme at Coleg Llandrillo was launched in response to the RWE wind farm's operation, and is now RWE's national apprentice training hub.
Through Gwynt y Môr, RWE has made significant investments in its neighboring communities. During construction, a £690,000 Tourism Fund unlocked transformational projects, including the creation of the Green Links Cycle Trail. Spanning local attractions from Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea, the trail has boosted regional tourism and connected key sites for locals and visitors.
Long-term, the Gwynt y Môr Community Fund will invest over £19 million of flexible funding over the operational lifetime of the wind farm, with decisions made by a panel of local people. The fund supports projects ranging from improvements to sports clubs and community buildings to salaries for community development staff and projects, such as Abergele Actions and Building Brighter Futures in Rhyl.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Most expensive bird's nest in history! Ospreys leave Welsh Labour with useless £4m farm that can't hold festival spin-off amid fears for wildlife
The Welsh government has been accused of spending over £4m on 'the most expensive birds' nest in history' after buying land for a music festival – which cannot be used due to ospreys. The Labour-run administration paid out £4.25m for a farm to host a spin-off event from the annual Green Man music and cultural festival held each August. The land, at Gilestone Farm, near Brecon, Powys, has even lost £500,000 in value since it was purchased in 2022 – and not a single note of music has been played there. Now a Welsh Parliament committee has raised 'serious concerns' over the purchase and demanded a full review. The Senedd's public accounts and administration committee said the decision to buy the farm was taken with a 'lack of thorough due diligence'. The report said plans were 'not sufficiently robust and had not been communicated effectively to the community'. The proposed festival spin-off, which would have been held alongside events at its current base at Crickhowell, near Abergavenny, caused opposition from conservationists. And when the pair of ospreys – a protected bird of prey – landed in 2023 and built a nest in an oak tree, it scuppered the plans. Labour Ministers had faced questions over their friendships with festival chief Fiona Stewart, amid claims a business plan for the festival had not even been submitted. James Evans, Conservative Welsh assembly member for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: 'The next time the Labour government reaches for the cheque book, they should listen to local concerns and act with far greater transparency. 'In the meantime, Gilestone Farm remains the most expensive publicly owned 'bird nest' in history.' Plaid Cymru's Adam Price, who sits on the public accounts and administration committee, said: 'This whole saga, that has unravelled under the chaos of three Labour first ministers, serves as proof of the extent of this Labour Welsh government's mismanagement of the public purse.' The committee said there was a lack of adequate record of meetings between ministers and Green Man officials which meant politicians were 'unable to fully scrutinise and evaluate decisions taken by the Welsh government'. It said the 'haste' in completing the purchase may have inhibited the ability to identify risks - including the presence of wildlife 'that would affect its proposals for the site, and potentially, its value'. The report added: 'This is particularly notable as the site has now been valued at £3.75m, meaning that the Welsh government's asset has lost half a million pounds in value'. Committee chairman Mark Isherwood said: 'The arrival of the ospreys on the site was unexpected and it's acknowledged that the Welsh government has responded positively to this development to preserve their habitat, albeit there was evidence of other protected species being present at the site at the time of purchase. 'However, the future of the site now appears to be very uncertain, with the most recent valuation showing that the asset has decreased in value by £0.5m compared to the purchase price. This is highly regrettable.' The land is currently leased commercially. An earlier report by auditors for the Welsh government found the 'most significant factor' for the farm purchase was using up unspent money by the end of the financial year. A Welsh government spokesman said: 'Gilestone remains one of the Welsh government's property assets and is being managed on our behalf as a working farm. 'We continue to explore potential opportunities for its future use, in keeping with our commitment to seek a sustainable outcome that helps local communities thrive. 'We will read the committee's report with interest and respond in due course.'
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Fact check: Sharia law administrator job ad was for role with private employer
A widely shared post on social media claimed that 'the UK Government is hiring' while sharing a screenshot of a job advert for a 'Shariah law administrator'. Another post said that 'the role is for the Department of Work and Pensions' alongside a screenshot of the same webpage. Evaluation The advert was not for a Government job. The administrator was being hired using money a mosque said it had raised through donations. The job was advertised on a portal run by the Government, which is open to private employers to post on. The facts The Find a Job service was launched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in 2018 as a replacement for Universal Jobmatch. It links thousands of employers with potential candidates. Employers who want to post on the site must be verified in order to ensure that the job adverts are genuine. They are also checked to make sure they meet minimum wage, accessibility and Welsh language rules. The Find a Job service is used to advertise both Government jobs and those offered by charity and private sector employers. This was the case with the job advert in the screenshot shared on social media. The – now deleted – role for a 'Shariah law administrator' was advertised by Manchester Community Centre. The job description says the successful candidate will 'provide all admin and secretarial work for Manchester Shariah Council'. Following online discussions about the job advert, the Islamic Centre Manchester released a statement on Facebook through the Didsbury Mosque on July 28. It said: 'This is not a government-funded post; the mosque pays for it out of community donations. The DWP advertises many jobs to help people obtain employment.' The statement added: 'We have withdrawn the job in question and have asked the DWP to remove it from its website. The job advert will be reworded to avoid future misunderstanding.' Data from the Charity Commission suggests that Manchester Community Centre has never received income from Government grants or contracts. The Islamic Centre (Manchester) received Government grants in the year ending September 2021 and September 2022, although nothing in the year ending September 2023 – which is the latest available data. The Manchester Community Centre, the Islamic Centre Manchester and the Didsbury Mosque all use the same address.
Evening Standard
8 hours ago
- Evening Standard
Fact check: Sharia law administrator job ad was for role with private employer
Employers who want to post on the site must be verified in order to ensure that the job adverts are genuine. They are also checked to make sure they meet minimum wage, accessibility and Welsh language rules.
