Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables chief executive, stated: “The installation of our first East Anglia 3 foundation is a real wow moment for both ScottishPower and Iberdrola. It represents a mammoth feat of engineering, skill and a huge amount of work. We’ve never built anything of this scale before.”
The monopile, manufactured by Joint Venture Navantia Seanergies Windar Renovables (JVNW), was installed using the Seaway Ventus jack-up vessel operated by Seaway7. East Anglia 3 will feature 95 monopiles, with JVNW producing 45 and Haizea manufacturing the remaining 50. Each monopile ranges from 67 to 85 meters in length, up to 10.6 meters in diameter, and weighs between 1,200 and 1,800 tonnes. These will support 95 Siemens Gamesa 14.7MW turbines, generating enough clean energy to power over 1.3 million UK homes.
The first of 95 transition pieces, each 20 meters high, 8 meters in diameter, and over 400 tonnes, produced by Windar Renovables, has also been installed. Seaway7 is responsible for installing all monopiles and transition pieces, using custom equipment designed and built in under two years to meet project timelines.
Lloyd Duthie, Seaway7 vice president for UK, Ireland & Asia, said: “We are proud to have successfully installed the first foundation for East Anglia 3. This achievement comes after two years of preparation, resulting in Seaway Ventus installing the largest monopile from a jack-up vessel in Europe.”
East Anglia 3, the largest wind farm in the ScottishPower and Iberdrola portfolios and the second largest globally, is expected to be fully operational by early 2026. The project supports the UK’s renewable energy goals, enhances energy security, and creates jobs and economic opportunities through its supply chain.
