Dec. 18, 2025
Sumitomo Corporation

Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm in the UK Secures Development Consent Order from the UK Government- Key milestone achieved toward power generation commencing after 2030 -

Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Shingo Ueno) announced on 17 December, 2025 that, through Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm Limited – a project the company jointly invested in with its partners – it has obtained a Development Consent Order from the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for the Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm (hereinafter "the Project").

Sumitomo Corporation joined the Project in 2020 which then secured the seabed option rights, advancing development including environmental surveys, and submitted its development consent application to the UK Government in March 2024. Moving forward, the company will participate in the auction process to obtain a Contract for Difference (CfD) under the UK Government's scheme as it moves toward a final investment decision. CfDs compensate renewable energy generators for the difference between the fixed strike price and the wholesale market price during operations, mitigating price volatility risk. Following the final investment decision, power generation is targeted to commence after 2030.

A potential maximum installed generation capacity of the Project is 1080MW, capable of powering up to 1 million typical UK households annually. Through development of offshore wind projects in the UK, Sumitomo Corporation aims to accelerate growth of its Energy Solutions business, a key pillar of its current Medium-Term Management Plan.

Project Outline

Project Name	:	Five Estuaries
Proposed Location	:	Approximately 37 km off the UK coast in the North Sea, covering 128 km² at depths of 22–60 m, planned as a bottom-fixed offshore wind farm
Number of Turbines	:	Up to 79 (with a maximum blade tip height of 370 m)
Expected Supply Capacity	:	Electricity equivalent of up to 1 million typical UK households per year
Shareholders	:	RWE Renewables UK Limited (1), a consortium managed by Macquarie Asset Management (2), ESB II UK Limited (*3), Sumitomo Corporation

The pink area indicates the Five Estuaries site

Sumitomo Corporation's Track Record in Europe

Since entering its first offshore wind project in Belgium in 2014, Sumitomo Corporation has been operating three offshore wind projects there. In the UK, the company participated in the development of the Galloper Wind Farm in 2016, which was completed and began operations in 2018. Sumitomo Corporation is also developing two offshore wind projects in France, which are under construction.
In July 2025, Sumitomo Corporation signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UK government on business investment. The MoU sets out UK Government support for existing and new projects in which Sumitomo Corporation and its partners participate in the UK. The Five Estuaries Project, located adjacent to the Galloper Wind Farm, is also covered under this MoU. By leveraging its expertise in the development and operation of offshore wind projects in Europe, Sumitomo Corporation will further strengthen collaboration with the UK Government and contribute to the advancement of the UK’s clean energy sector.

(*1) Wholly owned UK subsidiary of RWE Renewables
(*2) A global asset manager, providing a diverse range of investment solutions including real assets, real estate, and credit. It’s part of Australian Macquarie Group
(*3) UK subsidiary of Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board