Berwick Bank wind farm

CapPro Reference: CP-03710
Originally Posted: 07/12/2023
Sector: Power - Offshore wind
Project Type: Greenfield
Project Size: 4100 MW
Project Status: Under development
Project Owner: SSE Renewables
Location: Europe - UK, Branxton

Project Profile: The Berwick Bank offshore wind farm by SSE Renewables has moved closer to reality as the East Lothian Council greenlights the initial planning permission for its onshore transmission setup. The approved infrastructure at Branxton, south of Dunbar, includes cables and a new substation critical for channeling renewable energy into the national grid. SSE Renewables will now progress with detailed design plans, aiming to submit a comprehensive application to East Lothian Council soon.

As of May 2025, SSE Renewables has responded to a letter written by conservation groups, led by RSPB Scotland, to Scotland’s first minister on its Berwick Bank offshore wind project. Alex Meredith, SSE Renewables’ Berwick Bank Project director, said: "Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is critical to ensuring we prevent the worst possible impacts of climate change which, according to the most recent expert assessment, is the biggest single threat to Scottish seabirds. "Developing a world leading offshore wind industry, with projects of the scale and ambition of Berwick Bank, is a key part of combating the catastrophic consequences of that. "But the reality is that Berwick Bank has now been in planning for almost 30 months and whilst we will always continue to work constructively with stakeholders we must move forward urgently with action and delivery for the climate and our iconic Scottish seabirds." In August 2025, the Scottish government granted a consent order for the project. The Section 36 consent determination by Scottish ministers approves the project’s main offshore wind farm array in the outer Firth of Forth off the East Lothian coast.  Delivery of the project will now be subject to SSE securing a contract for new low-carbon offshore wind power under the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, as well as reaching a final investment decision.

In January 2026, the UK's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published the outcome of Allocation Round 7 to coincide with the National Energy System Operator (NESO), the Delivery Body, notifying applicants of the outcome of the round. Included in this is Berwick Bank wind farm phase B (1,380 MW), developed by SSE Renewables, marking Scotland’s first new offshore wind project since 2022.

Sources: berwickbank.com, www.sserenewables.com & www.sse.com