National Grid has gained planning consent for the Birkhill Wood substation in East Yorkshire, connecting 4.22 GW of offshore wind capacity from three planned North Sea wind farms to the UK grid.
Birkhill Wood will function as the grid connection point for RWE and Masdar’s Dogger Bank South East and Dogger Bank South West offshore wind farms, along with SSE Renewables and Equinor’s Dogger Bank D project, part of Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s fourth phase.
These three offshore wind farms are set to generate enough electricity to power over four million homes, according to National Grid. The East Riding of Yorkshire Council approved the substation, allowing its development about 700 meters north of the current Creyke Beck substation.
Construction on a two-kilometer access road from the A1079 has begun, with the substation construction scheduled to start in spring 2027. The facility will employ gas-insulated technology instead of a conventional open-air substation. National Grid noted the design includes environmental assessments and public consultation from 2024, with landscaping to blend the site into its surroundings and enhance biodiversity by at least 10%.
The project will include community funding, skills initiatives, and local supply chain opportunities after construction begins. Birkhill Wood will also connect the North Humber to High Marnham transmission line, part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade program.
Part of National Grid’s broader investment plan, the substation is within a GBP 8.6 billion program over the next five years to boost network capacity in Yorkshire and the North East. The area’s second phase involves expanding Creyke Beck substation through the Wanlass Beck project to accommodate another 3.2 GW of energy via battery energy storage systems and offshore wind capacity.
Dogger Bank South West (DBS West) and Dogger Bank South East (DBS East) secured Contracts for Difference (CfD) through Allocation Round 7 in January 2026. The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero granted development consent in May for these projects.
The Dogger Bank South offshore wind farms plan to install 1.5 GW capacity each, with DBS West expected in 2031 and DBS East in 2032. Last year, SSE and Equinor finalized a seabed lease with the Crown Estate for Dogger Bank D, the proposed fourth phase of the world’s largest offshore wind farm, currently under construction off England’s North Sea coast.
Dogger Bank D’s delivery is contingent on securing a Development Consent Order (DCO) and the project partners making a final investment decision.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz