Ofgem has shortlisted five bidders for offshore transmission assets linked to the East Anglia 3, Inch Cape and Dogger Bank C wind farms off Great Britain’s east coast.
The regulator said the assets have a combined estimated value of £3.5 billion. The shortlisted bidders are DTP, Equitix, GSC, JL and TCP. They will now move to the formal tender stage before preferred bidders are selected for transmission licences.
The package includes pre-built offshore and onshore links connecting offshore wind generation to Great Britain’s power grid. Ofgem said the assets cover cables, converter stations and substations.
According to Ofgem, Tender Round 13 has drawn its largest field of bidders since 2019, underlining investor interest in the offshore transmission owner regime.
Beatrice Filkin, director of major projects at Ofgem, said recent geopolitical events have shown that both energy security and investment can be affected. She said the OFTO regime supports British energy security and offers investors a stable asset.
She added that the regime is bringing investment into the UK to support growth and a stable, secure electricity system powered by clean electricity, while also seeking to deliver value for consumers.
Ofgem said the OFTO regime has attracted more than £10 billion of investment since 2009 across links serving 28 offshore wind farms. The regulator expects up to £6 billion of OFTO assets to come to market each year to 2030 and plans to launch Tender Round 14 later this year.
