UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has granted planning consent for RWE's 1.2 GW Rampion 2 offshore wind farm off the coast of Sussex.

According to RWE, the 90-turbine array, which is an extension of the existing 400 MW Rampion project that has been operational since 2018, will connect to the national grid at the Bolney substation in Sussex.

Once fully operational, Rampion 2 could supply power to the equivalent of over one million homes in the UK. Construction is expected to begin in 2027-28, with commercial operations completing by 2030.

The development of the project, an extension of the nearby Rampion offshore wind farm, is led by the global renewable energy company RWE, on behalf of its joint venture partners, a consortium led by Macquarie, and a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc., a leading energy infrastructure company in North America.

In addition to the 90 turbines, Rampion 2 is expected to include submarine cables that will carry the energy to the shore beneath Climping Beach. Furthermore, an underground cable route will transport the power to a new substation at Oakendene, near Cowfold, before finally connecting to the transmission network at Bolney, Mid Sussex.

Danielle Lane, Director of Offshore Wind Development at RWE in the UK and Ireland, said, "This is a key milestone in the development of the project, as Rampion 2 can play an important role in securing the UK’s energy supply from our abundant wind resource and making a crucial contribution to the UK government’s clean energy ambitions."

Meanwhile, Umair Patel, Rampion 2 Project Manager, stated, "This is great news for Rampion 2 and for Sussex, as the wind farm could generate around three-quarters of the electricity demand for all of Sussex and contribute to job creation both during construction and operations. We want to take this opportunity to thank the Sussex community for their contribution over the last four years, which has helped us refine and adapt the proposals to create the best project possible for this site, the community, and the environment."

The project may enter a future Contract for Difference (CfD) auction. A key milestone will be the Final Investment Decision (FID) by the joint venture partners, after which construction can begin.