RWE and investment firm KKR will jointly deliver the Vanguard West and Vanguard East offshore wind projects in the North Sea, one of the UK’s largest offshore wind developments with a combined generation capacity of around 2.8GW.

Vanguard West and Vanguard East will be located between 50 and 80 kilometres off the Norfolk coast in East Anglia. Each project will have an installed capacity of 1.4GW.

The projects represent a total investment of around £12bn, including the construction of the wind farms and their associated transmission infrastructure. The investment is supported by equity commitments from both RWE and KKR, alongside non-recourse project financing secured from a consortium of international lenders.

Financial close has been reached for both projects. The financing includes a £1bn commitment from the National Wealth Fund and credit cover from Germany’s Euler Hermes and Denmark’s EIFO, marking the first participation in a UK offshore wind project financing for the National Wealth Fund and Euler Hermes.

Vincent Policard, co-head of European Infrastructure at KKR, said: “The UK has a significant opportunity to develop its critical infrastructure to support long-term economic growth and strengthen energy security, including through offshore wind. Delivering at this scale requires substantial private investment, and KKR brings long-term capital, global infrastructure expertise and the ability to support complex projects through construction and operation. Our work with RWE demonstrates how private capital can help turn the UK’s energy ambitions into reality, with these projects capable of powering around three million UK homes.”

In January 2026, each project was awarded a 20-year inflation-indexed CfD at a strike price of £91.20 per MWh in 2024 prices under AR7.

Preparatory works are already advanced for offshore construction, which is set to begin in early 2027. The first foundation installation for Vanguard West is planned for the first half of 2027, followed by Vanguard East. Full commissioning of both projects is expected in 2030. Onshore cable works and construction of the substations are well advanced. The projects will use coordinated grid infrastructure designed to reduce environmental and community impacts.

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