EditorPembrokeshire wins big as record UK offshore wind auction secures Erebus in Celtic Sea
The UK Government says the auction has delivered 8.4GW of new offshore wind, enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of 12 million homes. Ministers say the result puts Britain “firmly on track” for clean power by 2030 and marks a major shift away from volatile global gas markets.
Erebus — backed by Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund — is one of the first commercial‑scale floating wind farms in the world and a flagship project for the Celtic Sea. Awel y Môr, off the coast of North Wales, also secured a contract.
The government says the round will unlock £22 billion in private investment and support around 7,000 skilled jobs across the UK, with Pembrokeshire expected to benefit from port upgrades, fabrication work and long‑term maintenance roles.
Welsh Secretary: “Huge news for Pembrokeshire”
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:
Today’s announcement is huge news for Pembrokeshire and North Wales. It is a massive vote of confidence in Wales’ clean energy industry which is already delivering the well‑paid, highly‑skilled jobs of the future with the potential to bring thousands more.
These new projects in the seas off Wales will help secure our energy supply and bring down bills for good.
Map showing the planned location of the Erebus floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea, off the Pembrokeshire coast. (Image: Blue Gem Wind)Offshore wind “40% cheaper than gas”, says UK Government
The government says the strike price agreed for fixed offshore wind — £90.91 per megawatt hour — is around 40% cheaper than the cost of building and running a new gas power station.
Ministers say the auction is a dramatic turnaround after the previous round failed to secure a single offshore wind project.
Energy Secretary calls result a “historic win”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
With these results, Britain is taking back control of our energy sovereignty. This is a historic win for those who want Britain to stand on our own two feet, controlling our own energy rather than depending on markets controlled by petrostates and dictators.
It is a monumental step towards clean power by 2030 and the price secured in this auction is 40% lower than the alternative cost of building and operating a new gas plant.
Clean, homegrown power is the right choice for this country to bring down bills for good and this auction will create thousands of jobs throughout Britain.
‘Vital for jobs’ says Swansea MP
Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, said:
“This is huge news for South West Wales, vital for jobs from Port Talbot right across to Pembrokeshire. It comes straight after the confirmation that Wylfa will house the UK’s first nuclear SMRs – two Labour government’s delivering the biggest industrial investment in North Wales for a generation.
He added that there was “clearly huge potential for Wales to enter a new era of green energy jobs/investment”.
Industry welcomes the result — but warns the job isn’t done
While the scale of the auction has been widely praised, industry figures say the sector is “relieved rather than triumphant”.
Analysts warn that rising costs, supply‑chain bottlenecks and grid delays still pose risks for future projects.
One senior renewables consultant said the auction was a “big step forward” but stressed that developers “need long‑term certainty” to keep investment flowing into the Celtic Sea.
Celtic Sea tipped as “the next big frontier”
Energy experts say the Celtic Sea could become one of the UK’s most important clean‑power hubs, with floating wind expected to expand rapidly over the next decade.
Pembrokeshire’s deep‑water port facilities, fabrication yards and existing energy infrastructure are seen as key advantages as the region positions itself at the centre of the UK’s next offshore wind boom.
The government says today’s auction marks a major step towards reducing reliance on global gas markets, which have driven up household bills in recent years.
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