Ofgem picks preferred bidder for Burbo Bank Extension link

UK energy regulator Ofgem has selected Diamond Transmission Partners (DTP) as the preferred bidder to own and operate the offshore transmission link to the 258-MW Burbo Bank Extension wind farm in Liverpool Bay.

Ofgem announced the news today, saying that this concludes the procurement process of Tender Round 4 of the offshore transmission owner (OFTO) regime. Tender Round 5, which started in September 2016, concerns the Dudgeon, Race Bank, Walney Extension, Galloper and Rampion projects.

The transmission assets for the Burbo Bank Extension are worth some GBP 180.6 million (USD 235m/EUR 202m). Ofgem noted that Tender Round 4 got the lowest bids to date as a proportion of the asset value. The assets are currently owned by Dong Energy A/S (CPH:DENERG), Kirkbi A/S and PKA.

DTP is a consortium comprising Mitsubishi Corp (TYO:8058) and HICL Infrastructure Co Ltd (LON:HICL). The reserve bidder for the project is Transmission Capital Partners, which is a group including International Public Partnerships Ltd and Transmission Capital Partners Limited Partnership.

Danish state-owned group Dong Energy inaugurated the Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm in May. The 32-turbine plant is the first one to use 8-MW machines, which were supplied by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.303/EUR 1.117)

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