Regulatory Okay for UK Offshore Wind Farm Extension

Existing wind farm has 367 MW capacity; extension is for a further 750 MW capacity.

The British government has given consent for an offshore wind farm off Cumbria in the Irish Sea to be extended, Britain's Planning Inspectorate said on Friday, tripling its total electricity generation capacity.

Walney wind farm currently has capacity of 367 megawatts (MW) and is owned by DONG Energy and SSE. The extension, owned solely by DONG Energy, will be to the west and northwest of the existing site, adding up to 750 MW of capacity.

"This is a significant application for the offshore wind energy sector. It could add 207 offshore wind turbines to the existing 102 turbines of Walney 1 and 2 to generate enough to provide electricity to over half a million homes," Planning Inspectorate chief Simon Ridley said in a statement.

The Planning Inspectorate reviews national infrastructure development applications but Britain's energy secretary has the final say on whether consent should be granted.

Reporting by Nina Chestney