ScottishPower Renewables, the company behind the East Anglia One offshore windfarm project, has named Siemens as its preferred supplier of turbines.

It is thought to be the biggest deal ever concluded for a consented project in the UK’s wind energy sector, involving up to 102 7megawatt turbines which, once in place, will be able to power around 500,000 homes.

Siemens will manufacture the blades for the turbines at a plant in Hull, with the overall turbine contract supporting around half of the 3,000 jobs expected to be created through the East Anglia One project.

ScottishPower Renewables says it will now be able to accelerate discussions with port facilities in East Anglia that will be critical to the construction phase of the project, with the compnay working with Siemens to maximise training and employment opportunities in the region.

Keith Anderson, chief executive of ScottishPower Renewables, said: “East Anglia One will be the most cost effective offshore windfarm ever delivered.

“Selecting the turbine supplier will be the single largest agreement for East Anglia One, and the most significant in terms of achieving important cost reduction goals. We are confident that we have selected the most efficient offshore wind turbines in the world, and we look forward to working with Siemens to deliver a successful project.”

ScottishPower Renewables says it is delivering a large cut in the cost of offshore wind power through East Anglia One, with a cost of electricity set at £119/MWh after a successful bid in the competitive UK Government auction held earlier this year for a Contract for Difference (CfD).

This has been made possible by the use of advanced technology, such as larger and more efficient turbines, and compares with £140-£150/MWh at other offshore wind projects awarded CfD contracts during 2014.

ScottishPower Renewables aims to start construction in 2017, with the first turbines installed by 2019 and the project fully operational during 2020.