THE public examination of the plans to build what will be the largest investment in renewable energy in Wales this decade is about to begin.

The dates for the examination of the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Awel y Môr offshore wind farm, across the coast of Conwy, have been published by the UK Planning Inspectorate.

The first hearings are due to take place this week.

A preliminary meeting takes place at Venue Cymru in Llandudno today (September 20) to discuss procedural matters, with the first hearings following on the next two days.

The first of these two are to look at the draft DCO itself, which is the legal means by which projects of this scale are given the green light.

The second is to be an “open floor hearing”, with registered interested parties invited to speak on any relevant topic of their choice.

A full timetable is also to be published setting out the dates of further hearings and deadlines for submission of written materials before the process draws to a close in March 2023.

The examination represents the final opportunity for individuals, organisations and statutory bodies to submit their views on the proposals.

RWE, one of the world’s leading renewables businesses, is developing Awel y Môr with project partners Stadtwerke München (30 per cent) and Siemens Financial Services (10 per cent).

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Consultation begins over plans for Awel y Môr Offshore Windfarm

Senior consents manager at RWE, Paul Carter, said: “Having spent a great deal of time on detailed reports on construction methods, the cable route, and the wider economic impact, among many other aspects of the project, we’re looking forward to putting the proposals for Awel y Môr under the microscope as we enter the final phase of the DCO process.

“I would encourage anyone who is interested to keep an eye out for public notices in the media which will advertise where and when future hearings will be taking place.

“Should it receive approval, this project will have capacity equivalent to powering half a million homes and make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy security for the coming decade.

“As such a significant investment, Awel y Môr also presents a major opportunity for businesses across North Wales to capitalise on offshore wind.

“Because of this we have already begun preliminary work with supply chain partners to ensure the region is well-placed to reap the benefits the project offers.”

Organisations expected to participate in the examination include local authorities, interested members of the public, plus Natural Resources Wales and other relevant regulators.

The public is welcome to observe all hearings in person or virtually (either on the phone or using the Microsoft Teams platform).

The examination is scheduled to conclude in March 2023.

Extensive advice for anyone interested in the process, including how to connect to meetings virtually, can be found on the UK Planning Inspectorate’s website: infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/wales/awel-y-mor-offshore-wind-farm.

RWE is driving the development of the largest offshore wind pipeline in the UK.

RWE has committed to investing €50billion gross through to 2030 to expand its powerful and green generation capacity to 50 gigawatts, with about £15 billion earmarked for the UK.