Sheringham and Dudgeon Extension Projects Statement of Community Consultation July 2020 Published in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Planning Act 2008 1 1. Introduction 2. About us Equinor has been operating in Norfolk for close Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm and Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm are owned by two separate joint venture partnerships known as Scira Offshore to a decade. Our existing offshore wind farms, Energy Ltd. and Dudgeon Offshore Wind Ltd., respectively. At Equinor, we are Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon provide enough involved in both joint venture partnerships and we act as the operator for both offshore wind farms. On behalf of both these partnerships, we are bringing the electricity to power around 750,000 UK homes. two Extension Projects together as part of one application for development consent, which forms the Sheringham and Dudgeon Extension Projects. We are now seeking a common Development Consent Order (DCO) for two new projects: Sheringham Extension Project (SEP) and Dudgeon Extension Headquartered in Norway, we are a broad energy company and have been Project (DEP), collectively known as the Sheringham and Dudgeon Extension a major provider of energy to the UK for 40 years. We power over one million Projects (the ‘Extension Projects’). Although these are two separate offshore homes across Europe with renewable energy from our existing offshore wind wind farm extension projects, at Equinor we have adopted a strategic approach farm projects in the UK and Germany. Our current UK offshore wind farms to developing the projects jointly to minimise local impacts. We will apply for provide enough renewable electricity to power over 750,000 UK homes. We are a common DCO for the Extension Projects and will consult on both projects proud to support local skills, utilise local suppliers and support local projects. together. With the potential to generate renewable power for 820,000 UK homes, the Extension Projects will make an important contribution to the UK’s legislated decarbonisation targets and efforts to tackle climate change. Your views matter to us at Equinor. We develop our projects responsibly by engaging with communities and understanding the local environment as the plans evolve. We welcome your feedback and comments to our plans for the Extension Projects. This document, known as a Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC), outlines how we intend to keep you informed and how you can provide your feedback on our proposals for the Extension Projects, as required under the Planning Act 2008. 2 3 3. Sheringham and Dudgeon Extension Projects SEP is planned to have a generating capacity of up to 317 megawatts (MW), The graphic below provides an overview of the typical components of an while DEP is planned to have a capacity of up to 402 MW. The Extension Projects offshore wind farm. will be located next to each respective existing wind farm, with SEP being approximately 17.5 kilometres (km) (11 miles) offshore at the nearest point to 1. Offshore wind turbines shore, and DEP being approximately 31 km (20 miles) offshore at the nearest 2. Interarray and/or interlink cables point to shore. 3. Offshore substation(s) (Alternating Current (AC)) 4. Offshore export cables As part of the common DCO application, the Extension Projects have a shared 5. Cable landfall and onshore export cables point of connection at the existing National Grid Norwich Main Substation. With 6. Equinor onshore substation(s) this approach we seek to minimise potential impacts on the community and 7. Existing National Grid Substation environment by adopting a shared onshore footprint for the Extension Projects. 8. Existing National Grid power lines 9. UK homes The Extension Projects will include the following new infrastructure: • Offshore wind turbines and foundations. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 • Interarray and interlink cables to connect the offshore wind turbines to an offshore substation. Key: Planned new Equinor infrastructure Existing infrastructure • Up to two offshore substations and foundations. • Offshore subsea export cables and scour protection. • Landfall. • Onshore export cables. • Up to two onshore substations. • A grid connection point at the National Grid Norwich Main Substation. • Other associated development such as site access, utilities and potential landscaping/screening. 4 5 320000 340000 360000 380000 400000 420000 440000 ± 320000 340000 360000 380000 400000 420000 440000 Dudgeon Extension Key: Dudgeon Extension Project Area Sheringham Extension Project Area ± Onshore ScopingDudgeon Boundary Extension Study Area Dudgeon Offshore Cable Corridor 4. Our onshore proposals Onshore Substation Search Area Dudgeon Dudgeon 5900000 Oshore North Sea 5900000 Windfarm Electricity generated by the Extension Projects offshore will be brought ashore Kingston upon Hull-Rotterdam Sheringham Extension 5900000 5900000 Dudgeon via subsea cables and will reach the coastline at Weybourne. They will then be Extension Sheringham installed in a trench heading south towards our new onshore substation area near to Extension Dudgeon Extension the existing National Grid Norwich Main Substation. Sheringham Sheringham Shoal Shoal Sheringham Landfall Shoal Oshore Supported by initial environmental assessments, we were previously evaluating Windfarm two potential locations for where the offshore cables would come ashore, Weybourne and Bacton.5880000 After further technical and environmental analysis, 5880000 Weybourne has been selected as the landfall point. 5880000 5880000 We published a Scoping Report in October 2019, which presented the project search area. We are currently assessing the best cable route and options to for 1: OurFigure SEP proposals andonshore and offshore DEP Figure 1: Our onshore and offshore proposals for SEP and DEP proposals and offshore 1: Our onshore Figure locate the onshore substation(s). We will be seeking your feedback to help shape our plans during our consultation process. The study area indicated on this map is considered Blakeney as a first draft and is still 5860000 Weybourne 5860000 Onshore cable corridor search area subject to change. We will refine the current 1 km (roughly 0.6 miles) wide onshore scoping Cromer Binham Overstrand boundary for the onshore export cables. Since we published our Scoping Sheringham Report, we have undertaken environmental and technical assessments and are Field Dalling 5860000 5860000 Holt Mundesley considering options outside of the 1 km wide scoping boundary to explore: o Routing the onshore cabling to the south of Weybourne, where the Melton Constable Fakenham Zeebrugge-Kingston upon Hull cables come ashore. North Walsham o Crossing the River5840000 Bure via trenchless Horizontal Directional 5840000 Spa Common Drilling (HDD) methods. o Crossing existing onshore cabling for other offshore wind developers A140 A149 in the area. North Elmham Catfield o Crossing existing proposed developments, including local road Hoveton network improvements and housing developments. 5840000 5840000 Horsford Martham 0 5 10 15 20 Kilometres Dereham Taverham Base Map: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA 5820000 A47 5820000 Onshore substation area 320000 340000 360000 380000 400000 420000 440000 We are assessing options for the location of the onshore substation area. Our Swaham preferred option is to use one common substation, however if the projects are Norwich Brundall The Norfolk Broads built in phases, up to two substations may be needed within the same footprint. Great Yarmouth Eaton We are assessing options within a 3 km (roughly 1.9 miles) radius of the existing National Grid Norwich Main Substation. Watton Bradwell Gorleston Wymondham 0 5 10 15 20 Kilometres 6 A146 7 Base Map: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA Loddon Attleborough 5820000 5820000 Mundford A140 320000 340000 360000 380000 400000 420000 440000 A1075 A11 Long Stratton Lowestoft Bungay Beccles Brandon Thetford Harleston HERE, Esri Diss 5. Our public consultation As set out in Section 8, we are dedicated to using a wide variety of Ongoing engagement communications methods to ensure we can continue the conversation on the We will be seeking to continue the conversation on our proposals by convening Extension Projects and involve all members of the community. dedicated working groups, which will be established with the advice of the local planning authorities. Our consultation process The consultation process for the Extension Projects will be an iterative one as the Local knowledge is important to us, and we will consider the feedback and feedback and information we receive will help inform the refinement of project comments we receive on an ongoing basis and incorporate these within our options. Our consultation will consist of at least two phases of consultation, proposals where possible. including: Interim reporting • A phase one consultation, lasting 6 weeks, from 09 July to 20 August 2020 We will publish a consultation summary report after each phase of consultation • A phase two consultation, lasting 6 weeks, indicatively planned for to keep the community updated as to how their feedback has been considered in spring 2021 the development of the plans for the Extension Projects. Phase one public consultation Consultation Report During phase one, we will invite feedback to our proposals to help inform our site As part of the DCO application due to be submitted by the end of 2021, we will selection process for the location of the onshore substation area and refinement publish a Consultation Report that: