The Danish energy company Ørsted (formerly known as DONG Energy) has won another 920 MW of offshore wind capacity in the Changhua region of Taiwan, under the framework of the first Taiwanese offshore wind auction. The company made a successful bid of TWD2,548/MWh (€72.23/MWh) for the projects, which will be subject to relevant permits and Ørsted's final investment decision (FID) expected in 2023. Ørsted plans to start construction works in 2023 and expects the projects to be commissioned in 2025.
Ørsted now has a total offshore wind pipeline of 1,820 MW in Changhua, including 900 MW of offshore wind projects off Taiwan's coast under the framework of Taiwan's 3,000 MW offshore wind auction in April 2018. This 900 MW capacity will be divided in two projects, namely the 605 MW Changhua-1 and the 295 MW Changhua-2 wind parks, which are expected to be connected to the domestic grid in 2021.
Taiwan aims to develop 5,500 MW of offshore wind capacity by 2025, when nuclear power will be phased out. The allocation of the required grid connection capacity is planned for the first quarter 2018. Ørsted will commission all the Changhua projects (a potential of 2,400 MW in total, all located between 35 and 60 km from the shore of Changhua County) between 2021 and 2025.