First Power

Dogger Bank D’s official ‘Introducing’ consultation material sets out the project’s anticipated development pathway and includes an indicative programme that labels “2030 – First power” as a key milestone. This places the initial export of electricity to the grid in 2030, providing a forward-looking schedule marker while the project remains in the early development and consultation phase. The brochure explains that Dogger Bank D will follow the procedures under the Planning Act 2008 and that an application will be made to the Planning Inspectorate, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for permission to build and operate the project. As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project with an expected generating capacity greater than 100 MW, Dogger Bank D must complete a full consenting and assessment process before construction and energisation can occur. The same material outlines preparation of a draft Environmental Impact Assessment, to be shared as a Preliminary Environmental Information Report for consultation in 2024, with feedback feeding into the final Environmental Statement and a parallel Habitats Regulations Assessment. Within this broader planning and environmental context, the 2030 first‑power date functions as an indicative point by which the project aims to have completed construction, installation and commissioning to the stage of initial power export. This projected milestone also aligns the project’s trajectory with wider UK government ambitions to increase offshore wind capacity to 50 GW by 2030 and to achieve a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035, highlighting Dogger Bank D’s intended contribution to national energy and climate goals.