Press Release from Eon:

E.ON has announced the final design for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm project, after receiving consent from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in July this year.

Situated 13km off the Sussex coast at its nearest point, the 72km2 final wind farm
would feature 116 turbines, each measuring around 140m high to tip. It would
have the capacity to generate 400MW of electricity, enough to supply the
equivalent of up to 290,000 homes(1) and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 600,000
tonnes(2) a year.

Chris Tomlinson, E.ON Development Manager for the Rampion Wind Farm, said: “Our final proposed wind farm design seeks to optimise the scheme in the best seabed conditions as part of our continuing drive to reduce the costs of offshore wind. We’re now finalising our construction plans and moving closer to being
able to secure jobs during both construction and operation. We look forward to
moving the project forward and to generating large scale renewable energy
helping to secure future electricity supplies.”

Chris Todd, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth, said: “This is really good news as it brings us another step closer to reducing our carbon emissions here in
Sussex. We also welcome the fact that E.ON has altered the size and layout of the
wind farm which will dramatically reduce the visual impact from the Heritage
Coast and the wider South Downs.”

Peter Davies, Development Director of Shoreham Port said: “We welcome the final proposals which ensure the Port’s future as Rampion will no longer affect its
anchorage and will maintain straight passage for ships into and out of the port.”
In reaching the optimised wind farm design(3), E.ON has reviewed the results of
extensive on and offshore engineering surveys and their associated technical and
cost implications, alongside commercial and environmental considerations raised
by stakeholders during the examination of the development consent order
application.

During the proposed 3 year offshore construction period it is estimated that 250
to 300 jobs would be created and local vessels would be utilised, with 40 roles
being based at the project management facility in Newhaven Port. It is envisaged
that a workforce of up to 100 would be working on the onshore cable route while
around 40 to 60 people would be employed at the onshore substation during the
proposed 2 year onshore construction. It is estimated that up to 65 full time
permanent jobs would be created at the operations base in Newhaven Port once
the wind farm is commissioned and fully operational.

E.ON will continue to keep the local community informed on the project’s progress and will be working hard over the coming months and years to make sure they are aware of the onshore and offshore activities associated with building the wind farm. The Rampion project remains set to become the first offshore wind farm off the south coast of England. A final timetable for construction is yet to be finalised.

Final Site layout map.