Press release
RWE and Masdar Confirm Completion of Examination Stage of the DBS Offshore Wind Farms
- The UK’s Planning Inspectorate has concluded its six-month Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) examination period for the Dogger Bank South (DBS) offshore wind farms.
- With an estimated combined installed capacity of 3GW, the DBS projects are the most powerful offshore wind farms currently progressing through UK planning, and would be capable of supplying electricity to around three million typical homes.
- The Inspectorate will submit a report to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with a consent decision expected within the next six months.
Swindon, 14 July 2025
RWE and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, acknowledge that the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) Examination period for the Dogger Bank South (DBS) offshore wind farms concluded on 11 July 2025.
With an estimated combined installed capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW), the DBS projects are nationally significant infrastructure projects for the UK’s energy system and would be capable of supplying around 3 million UK homes with electricity annually. They would be located in shallow waters on the Dogger Bank, over 100km off the north-east coast of England.
Danielle Lane, Director of Offshore Wind Development UK & Ireland, RWE, said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone for the DBS projects, the most powerful offshore wind farms currently progressing through the NSIP planning process. Beyond delivering clean electricity to millions of homes, these projects have the potential to provide a significant economic boost, particularly to the north-east of England, supporting thousands of jobs during development and construction. They also demonstrate RWE’s continued commitment to working closely with partners like Masdar to support the government’s mission of building a sustainable, energy-secure future for the UK.”
Husain Al Meer, Director, Global Offshore Wind at Masdar, said: “Today’s announcement brings us one stage closer to the all-important green light for the DBS projects, which are set to play a leading role in the UK’s energy transformation. Masdar has been a key partner in the UK’s clean energy journey and these projects will help power millions of homes, drive sustainable economic growth and create much-needed jobs. We look forward to continuing working with RWE in bringing these projects to fruition and supporting a clean, secure energy future for the UK.”
The DBS offshore wind farms are a joint venture (JV) between RWE, a global leader in renewable energy and Masdar, a global clean energy leader. RWE leads both DBS projects, overseeing development, construction, and operations on behalf of the JV partnership.
Since the start of the examination this January, the Planning Inspectorate has rigorously assessed the environmental, socio-economic and technical attributes of the DBS projects against the UK’s standards for sustainable infrastructure development. The Inspectorate will prepare and submit a detailed report with recommendations to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero within the next three months, and a consent decision is anticipated within the next six months.
Throughout the Examination period, RWE, has worked diligently, addressing questions from stakeholders and the Examining Authority to ensure the Examining Authority has comprehensive information to issue its recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Editors’ Notes
DBS
DBS refers to RWE Renewables Dogger Bank South (East) Offshore Wind Limited and RWE Renewables Dogger Bank South (West) Offshore Wind Limited. DBS offshore wind farms are being jointly developed by RWE and Masdar. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy and holds a 51% stake in the projects and Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, holds a 49% stake in the projects.
RWE
RWE is leading the way to a modern energy world. With its investment and growth strategy, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. RWE is investing billions of euros in expanding its generation portfolio, in particular in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and batteries. It is perfectly complemented by its global energy trading business. Thanks to its integrated portfolio of renewables, battery storage and flexible generation, as well as its broad project pipeline of possible new builds, RWE is well positioned to address the growing global demand for electricity, particularly driven by further electrification and artificial intelligence. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.
Masdar
Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) is one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy companies. As a global clean energy leader, Masdar is advancing the development and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, battery storage and green hydrogen technologies to accelerate the energy transformation and help the world meet its net-zero ambitions. Established in 2006, Masdar has developed and invested in projects in over 40 countries with a combined capacity of 51 gigawatts (GW), providing affordable clean energy access to those who need it most and helping to power a more sustainable future. Masdar is jointly owned by TAQA, ADNOC, and Mubadala, and is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of 100GW by 2030 while aiming to be a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.