On 25 April 2025, ScottishPower Renewables achieved a major milestone by installing the first of 95 monopiles at its £4 billion East Anglia Three offshore wind farm.
The 1,800-tonne foundation is the largest ever to be set from a jack-up vessel in Europe, signalling the official start of full-scale offshore construction on the 1.4 GW project.
This record-setting feat highlights the growing ambition behind East Anglia Three, ScottishPower’s biggest ever offshore wind development.
The installation was carried out by Seaway Ventus, marking the first monopile of many to be driven into the seabed over the coming months.
Digging deeper at East Anglia Three
The East Anglia Three monopiles are immense.
Each structure measures 83.9 metres in height and 10.6 metres in diameter, weighing an enormous 1,800 tonnes. They have been supplied by the joint venture Navantia-Windar, a partnership renowned for delivering complex offshore foundations.
Seaway Ventus, a specialist installation vessel, is spearheading the deployment. Over the course of the project, 95 Siemens Gamesa SG 14.7-236 DD turbines will be installed, each fixed to these robust monopile foundations.
The project timeline is ambitious yet methodical.
ScottishPower plans to complete all foundation installations by mid-2026. First power generation is expected in late 2025, with full commercial operations scheduled for 2026.
East Anglia Three is also generating significant economic activity across the UK supply chain.
UK-manufactured steelwork features heavily in the project, alongside major cable-lay contracts secured by domestic firms. In addition, ScottishPower is developing a new operations and maintenance hub in Lowestoft, ensuring long-term job creation and regional investment.
The broader policy environment is firmly supportive.
The project aligns with the UK Government’s 50 GW offshore wind target for 2030 and complements the rapid build-out of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission infrastructure needed to transport clean power across the country.
East Anglia Three is creating recruitment ripple-effects
Major offshore projects like East Anglia Three bring a considerable surge in recruitment across a wide range of roles.
Offshore, demand peaks for heavy-lift crane crews, offshore welders, cable-pulling electricians, and HSE officers.
The installation campaign will require skilled technicians capable of operating in harsh offshore conditions, with precision and safety paramount.
Onshore, the demand picture is equally strong.
Project planners, logistics coordinators, and consent managers are needed to keep the enormous logistics operation moving smoothly.
As turbine installation ramps up and warranty phases begin, blade-repair technicians and other specialist maintenance staff will also be in high demand.
At the peak of construction, more than 2,300 people are expected to be working on-site and across supporting functions, providing a significant boost to the UK’s offshore wind employment landscape.
How Astute can help
Astute’s People Plus solution is designed to meet the project-based recruitment like the East Anglia Three major offshore wind project.
People Plus combines expert talent mapping with flexible delivery models to pipeline niche offshore profiles – from monopile design engineers to installation vessel crews – ensuring you have the right skills, precisely when and where you need them.
Our fully managed People Plus service acts as an extension of your team, scaling hiring at short notice to support multiple subcontractors across complex work packages.
Whether you need to mobilise heavy-lift crews, welders for jacket fabrication, or commissioning engineers for turbine energisation, we deliver.
Through our network of partner training centres, we also offer upskilling programmes, including GWO Basic Safety Training, statutory confined-space certification, and high-voltage safety courses – ensuring your workforce is ready for offshore readiness and compliance.
Ready to staff your next project?
Talk to Astute’s Renewables desk today and secure the engineers you’ll need before the summer installation window closes.
