Ofgem has announced shortlists of bidders competing to own and operate new transmission links to UK wind farms.

The bids have been narrowed down to six companies for three offshore transmission lines, which run from the mainland to the Dudgeon, Rampion and Race Bank wind farms off the coasts of Norfolk and Sussex.

The companies hoping to manage the Dudgeon and Rampion transmission projects are Balfour Beatty Investments, Equitix, Diamond Transmission Partners, Mari Energy Transmission and Transmission Capital Partners.

Balfour Beatty Investments, Equitix, Diamond Transmission Partners and Transmission Capital Partners are also competing for the Race Bank tender, with the addition of Triton Transmission.

The three links are the first of five to be tendered under the fifth round of the Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) regime.

The fifth round has an estimated value of £2 billion and will connect 2.3GW of generation capacity, making it the biggest tender round to date.

The bidders will now progress to the final Invitation to Tender stage before Ofgem appoints an OFTO for each link.

These companies will receive a guaranteed revenue stream for 20 years to operate the wind farms.