Regulatory Other

In January 2026, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero extended the statutory deadline for the Development Consent Order (DCO) decision on the 3 GW Dogger Bank South project, which includes the Dogger Bank South West site. The original statutory deadline for the DCO decision was 10 January 2026, but this has been moved to 30 April 2026. The decision relates to the overall Dogger Bank South scheme being developed by RWE in partnership with Masdar and therefore applies to both the East and West (Dogger Bank South West) project areas. According to a statement from the Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey, the extension was granted to allow time to request further information that was not provided during the original examination period, and to ensure that all interested parties have the opportunity to review and comment on any additional material submitted. The Minister emphasised that while extending the deadline was not his preference, applications under the Planning Act 2008 must meet the necessary standards, and the new date is set without prejudice to whether consent will ultimately be granted or refused. This decision follows completion of the six‑month Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project examination period for the Dogger Bank South offshore wind farms in July 2025. If the project, including Dogger Bank South West, is ultimately granted a DCO following this extended decision window, subsequent steps would include securing a Contract for Difference (CfD), arranging financing, and progressing to construction and commissioning, with commissioning currently indicated as expected by 2031.