Fabrication has begun in north-east England after the first steel was cut for the offshore substation jacket foundation serving ScottishPower Renewables' £4 billion East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm, which is set to power almost one million UK homes.

The 3,450mt four-legged lattice jacket, about 58 metres tall – nearly three times the height of the Angel of the North – is being built at Smulders’ fabrication yard on the banks of the River Tyne under a contract worth more than £60 million. It will support a 5,100mt offshore high-voltage substation for the company’s third wind farm off the Suffolk coast.

Once installed, the substation will gather and transmit electricity from the 960MW project’s 64 turbines to the UK grid, delivering enough clean energy for nearly one million households.

Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks, visited the Smulders site to view progress.

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He said: "It;s great to see manufacturing getting underway here in Newcastle on a project that demonstrates how clean energy is supporting skilled jobs and industrial communities in the north‑east of England.

"Building this right here in the UK highlights the strength of our offshore wind supply chain as we deliver the infrastructure needed for a more secure home‑grown energy system."

Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables CEO said: "It's a proud moment to see work underway on our East Anglia TWO jacket foundation just up the coast from where the windfarm will be operating in a couple of years’ time. This investment is a real confidence boost for UK manufacturing and showcases the fantastic facilities and resources we have on our doorstep.

"It's also a great example of the difference we’re making – enhancing the UK's energy security, supporting jobs and unlocking growth – thanks to our commitment to a clean energy future. And our actions speak volumes, with our offshore wind projects pumping almost £3.5 billion into UK companies while developing, building and operating our East Anglia windfarms.

"Working alongside Smulders HSM's expert team, I look forward to seeing the East Anglia TWO foundation taking shape here in Newcastle over the coming months before sailing down the North Sea to its new home in the waters off the coast of Suffolk next year."

Smulders' Wallsend facility, located on a former colliery site, now specialises in producing and assembling steel foundations for offshore wind turbines and substations, illustrating how the shift from coal to clean energy is creating jobs in the north-east and driving economic growth.