First Power

The Mona Offshore Wind Farm, a 1.5 GW project being developed in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales by Mona Offshore Wind Limited, a joint venture between bp and German utility EnBW, is projected to achieve first power towards the end of this decade. Following the UK Government’s grant of development consent under the Planning Act 2008, the project now has a clear pathway from consented status through construction and into initial operation. The consent allows for up to 96 offshore wind turbines and four offshore substation platforms, connected via offshore and onshore transmission infrastructure to an onshore substation at Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire. According to the project schedule outlined in the article, construction is expected to begin after a final investment decision planned for 2026 or 2027, with Mona potentially delivering first power between 2028 and 2029. This indicates that initial electricity export to the grid is anticipated in the late 2020s, ahead of full commercial operations. As a Round 4 Crown Estate project, Mona’s first-power milestone will contribute materially to UK and Welsh decarbonisation targets by starting to supply low-carbon electricity for over one million homes. The projected first-power window also frames subsequent milestones such as full commissioning, long-term operations, and the creation of nearly 600 permanent operational roles in the region.