The owners of Dogger Bank Wind Farm have filed a judicial review claim over the UK government’s approval of the nearby Dogger Bank South offshore wind project.
SSE, Equinor and Vargronn brought the claim after development consent was granted to RWE and Masdar. The case could affect progress on Dogger Bank South, which is planned near the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The dispute concerns the wake effect, where turbines at one wind farm can reduce wind speeds for another project nearby. During the consent process, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s owners argued that more turbines in the area could reduce output and affect the economics of the existing wind farm.
The issue comes as offshore wind developers face higher costs and supply chain pressure, making long-term project returns more sensitive to changes in expected generation.
A Dogger Bank South spokesperson told Bloomberg that a judicial review challenge had been lodged against the consent process. RWE said the project had been approved after a rigorous and transparent assessment and that it remains focused on delivering the wind farm.
Under UK law, a judge must first decide whether the case can proceed. If permission is granted, the court will review the evidence and decide whether the government was wrong to approve the project.
Although a bill passed last year limited the use of judicial reviews, the Dogger Bank case shows that legal challenges can still create uncertainty for offshore wind developers.
