A British offshore wind farm which is claimed to be one of the world’s largest has bagged £6.5 million from investors over the last two years.

ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and Swedish state-owned energy firm Vattenfall said they put the cash into the East Anglia Offshore Wind (EAOW) project through contracts with local businesses.

The joint venture includes the construction of a 7.2GW wind farm, which should generate enough electricity to power around five million homes. SPR claims the investment helped support almost 170 jobs across the region.

Andy Paine, EAOW Programme Director said: “With the help and support of local contractors, East Anglia Offshore Wind is making strong progress and we are on schedule to lodge our first application for consent this year. Where possible, East Anglia Offshore Wind seeks to use local contractors to ensure that the region benefits as much as possible from jobs and investment as a result of our development.”

SPR and Vattenfall currently operate offshore and onshore wind farms in the UK with a total capacity of around 1,400MW.