Out of a total generating capacity of 1.4 GW, 80 MW to 100 MW is expected to be delivered to the Isle of Man, with the remaining power delivered to the UK National Grid through the East Irish Sea Transmission Project. That means the offshore wind farm will deliver enough green energy to power over 1.4 million UK homes.
The scale of the East Irish Sea Transmission project and its contribution to the UK energy system is of such potential significance, that the Secretary of State determined it should be considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and be treated as development for which development consent under the Planning Act 2008 is required.
A Development Consent Order (DCO) grants permission for NSIPs, such as the East Irish Sea Transmission Project. The DCO Process is set out below:
- Pre-application: Applicants have a statutory duty to carry out consultation on their proposals.
- Application: An application for a DCO is made to the Planning Inspectorate.
- Examination: The Planning Inspectorate examines the application and prepares a report for the Secretary of State.
- Decision: The Secretary of State decides whether to grant the DCO.
- Post-decision: There is a period in which the decision may be challenged.
As part of the Pre-Application process and as part of the documentation to accompany an Application for Development Consent, the East Irish Sea Transmission Project must conclude an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the first stage of which is the completion of an Environmental Scoping Report, and its associated studies. These studies are now in the early stages of planning and commencement. The project aims to deliver its Scoping Report to the Planning Inspectorate, who deal with NSIP planning applications on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, in Q3 2025.
