Negative
Setback or risk materialised
High Impact
Major milestone or critical setback
Five Estuaries was an eligible bidder in the UK's Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7 (AR7) but did not secure a CfD when the offshore-wind results were announced on 14 January 2026. AR7 was Europe's largest offshore-wind auction to date, awarding 8.4 GW across Pot 3 fixed-bottom and Pot 4 floating wind at clearing prices of £91.20/MWh (E&W fixed bottom) and £216.49/MWh (floating, 2024 prices). RWE — the lead developer with a 33.33% stake in Five Estuaries — secured CfDs for five other projects in AR7 totalling 6.9 GW (Norfolk Vanguard East, Norfolk Vanguard West, Dogger Bank South East, Dogger Bank South West, Awel y Môr); Five Estuaries was the only RWE-led offshore wind project in AR7 not to clear. Sister projects North Falls and ScottishPower's East Anglia ONE North were also unsuccessful. The shortfall pushes Five Estuaries' route to market into AR8 (CfD allocation expected mid-to-late 2026 with results in late 2026 / early 2027), delaying the path to financial investment decision and contributing to Sumitomo Corporation's December 2025 statement that "power generation is targeted to commence after 2030".</description> </invoke>