Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Ltd (GGOWL), an Airtricity and Fluor joint venture, has received planning permission for the construction of an offshore wind farm to be located 25km off the coast of Suffolk (UK) in the Outer Thames Estuary. In addition, GGOWL has recently received permission to connect the wind farm to the electricity grid via a substation at Sizewell from Suffolk Coastal District Council. The planned wind farm will produce 500MW of electricity via 140 wind turbines sited around the Inner Gabbard and The Galloper sandbanks. GGOWL is already focusing on pre-construction activities: Fluor has been appointed as engineering, procurement and construction contractor. The procurement process for turbines and other equipment has commenced, with offshore construction planned to commence in 2009.
