OMNI Features｜JERA Nex BP's Australian Blue Mackerel Offshore Wind Farm Awarded Major Project Status

The Blue Mackerel offshore wind project, developed by JERA Nex bp, a 50:50 joint venture between Japan's JERA Co. and UK-based bp, has been granted Major Project Status (MPS) by the Australian federal government.

The designation provides the proposed 1 GW project with dedicated support from the Federal Major Projects Facilitation Agency (MPFA), aimed at streamlining engagement with environmental and regulatory approval processes. Construction remains subject to final approvals and the award of a commercial licence.

The project is planned approximately 10 kilometres off the Gippsland coast in Victoria, between Seaspray and Woodside, on Brataualung and Tatungalung Country. Once fully operational, the offshore wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power up to 750,000 Victorian homes annually by 2032.

Blue Mackerel was awarded a seven-year feasibility licence covering a 163-square-kilometre area in April 2024. Earlier this year, Australia’s Offshore Infrastructure Regulator approved its feasibility stage management plan, making it the first offshore wind project to receive such approval under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 and its 2024 amendments.

The MPS award comes amid growing challenges in Australia’s offshore wind sector. Several large-scale projects have recently been cancelled or paused, including Gippsland Skies, Gippsland Dawn, Kent, and Navigator. Compounding the uncertainty, the Victorian government delayed its first offshore wind auction in September, citing regulatory delays, infrastructure setbacks, and global market volatility.

Reference: offshoreWIND.biz