VolkerStevin Infrastructure Ltd has applied to the Environment Agency for a licence to abstract water for hydraulic fracturing as part of the Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm Project.

The first application (NPS/WR/039188) is for a full licence to abstract water from the River Tud near Easton at National Grid Reference (NGR) TG 12900 11481.

The second application (NPS/WR/039189) is for a full licence to abstract water from the River Wensum near Attlebridge at NGR TG 12617 17199. Both applications are for the same quantities of water and purpose of hydraulic fracturing as part of the Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm Project.

The applications are to abstract water as follows for each licence:

• 15 cubic metres an hour
• 138 cubic metres a day
• 50,000 cubic metres a year
• All year round for the duration of the project.

The Agency is inviting interested parties who want to view the application to contact it via e-mail or use the number below to arrange to see the application documents.

Any representations about the application can be made by email, quoting the name of the applicant and reference number NPS/WR/039188 or NPS/WR/039189 to the Environment Agency, at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Deadline to submit responses is 19 January 2024 - for advice about how to make a representation call 03708 506 506.

Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm Project is world’s single largest offshore wind farm 

The Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm Project is the world’s single largest offshore wind farm which will have a capacity of 2.9 GW and is expected to be completed around the end of 2027. Hornsea 3 will be located in the North Sea, approximately 120 km off the Norfolk coast and 160 km off the Yorkshire coast. The wind farm will consist of up to 231 offshore wind turbines will be located within a 696 km2 area.

On 20 December renewable energy company Ørsted, which develops, constructs, and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen and green fuels facilities, and bioenergy plants took the final investment decision on the project.

Hornsea 3 will be Ørsted’s third gigawatt-scale project in the Hornsea zone following Hornsea 1 (1.2 GW) and Hornsea 2 (1.3 GW), which are already being operated out of Ørsted’s operations and maintenance hub in Grimsby.

The UK is a core market for Ørsted and one of the world’s largest markets for offshore wind - Ørsted currently operates 12 offshore wind farms in the UK.

Orsted already has all major contracts for Hornsea 3 in place, including an agreement with Siemens Gamesa for SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbines, which have a capacity of 14 MW excluding power boost.

Hundreds of companies are lined up to play a role in the construction and operation, supply, installation, commissioning, and long-term operation and maintenance of the wind farm.

Hornsea 3 will support up to 5,000 jobs during its construction phase, with up to a further 1,200 permanent jobs both directly and in the supply chain in the long operational phase.

Other significant supplier contracts include an agreement for Hornsea 3 to be the first and lead customer at SeAH Wind’s monopile factory in Teesside, underpinning SeAH’s investment decision to establish a new, globally competitive monopile factory in the UK.

The Hornsea zone will also include Ørsted’s Hornsea 4 project, which could have a capacity of up to 2.6 GW. Hornsea 4 received its development consent order from the UK government earlier in 2023 and is now eligible for forthcoming CfD allocation rounds.