RENEWABLE ENERGY
Crown Estate Relaunches Tender for 1.5 GW Morgan Offshore Wind Project
The Crown Estate has initiated an accelerated tender process to find a new developer for the Morgan offshore wind site in the Irish Sea after the previous joint venture abandoned the project earlier this year.
offshorewind.biz
· 2 MIN read
· OFFSHORE WIND
External news signal · summary by Atlantis · full reporting remains with the original publisher.
Project Returns to Market
The Morgan site, capable of generating up to 1.5 GW, was originally awarded through Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 in 2021 to a joint venture between EnBW and JERA Nex BP. Development ceased in January 2026 when EnBW decided to withdraw from both the Morgan and Mona offshore wind projects in the UK.
Following EnBW's exit, JERA Nex BP acquired the German company's stake in the separate 1.5 GW Mona project, while the joint venture discontinued Morgan's development and returned the lease rights to the Crown Estate.
Streamlined Selection Process
The new tender process aims to select a preferred bidder and award development rights by the end of 2026. The Crown Estate emphasized its intention to preserve substantial progress already achieved on the project, allowing the new developer to build upon existing work and maintain delivery momentum.
Developers will compete through a transparent rising clock auction system, with bids determining a Site Exclusivity Fee payable once the project enters lease. Although submitted as a lump sum, the fee will be distributed over 20 years from the lease commencement.
Regulatory Progress Maintained
The Morgan project secured its Development Consent Order in August 2025, while a decision on transmission infrastructure applications, submitted jointly with the 480 MW Morecambe offshore wind farm, is expected in September 2026. The project also maintains a grid connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator.
Interested developers are expected to submit bids during the summer months, with the auction and preferred bidder selection scheduled for later this year.