Utsira Nord

The competition for the project areas was carried out in accordance with Section 2-3 of the Offshore Energy Act and Chapter 2A of the Offshore Energy Regulations. The Ministry established qualification requirements, as well as qualitative criteria used to assess the applicants.

The deadline for submitting applications was 15 September 2025. The Ministry of Energy received two applications from the consortia Equinor Utsira Nord AS and Vårgrønn Utsira Nord AS, as well as Harald Hårfagre AS (Deep Wind Offshore Norway AS and EDF Renouvelables International SAS). After reviewing the applications, the Ministry announced on 11 December 2025 that both applicants would be awarded a project area.

The consortia will be granted a time-limited exclusive right to carry out a project-specific impact assessment, complete the environmental impact assessment, and to apply for a licence, cf. Section 2-3 of the Offshore Energy Act. Applicants that submit a licence application will have the opportunity to participate in a competition for state aid. Applications for licences must be submitted within two years after the programme for the environmental impact assessment has been established.

The documents prepared for the announcement, some of them are only in Norwegian at the moment:

• Announcement document for Utsira Nord
• Appendix 1 – Template for application letter Utsira Nord
• Appendix 2 – Project area, grid connection and regulatory conditions for Utsira Nord
• Appendix 3 – Description of qualification requirements and qualitative criterias for Utsira Nord 
  Appendix 3 (with tracked changes)
• Appendix 4 – Template for cost estimate for Utsira Nord
• Appendix 5a – Template for letter of support – economic and financial capacity
• Appendix 5b – Template for letter of support – experience
• Appendix 6 – Template for financial strength
• Appendix 7 – Template for relevant experience 
  Appendix 7 (with tracked changes)
• Appendix 8 – Formal requirements for the application and information on the submission portal related to the competition for project areas for offshore wind in Utsira Nord
• Appendix 9 – Draft investment support agreement (See below)
• Appendix 10 – General description of the support mechanism and competition for state aid 
  Appendix 10 (with tracked changes)
• Appendix 11 – Template for confirmation of obligation to be liable for liquidated damages (to be published at a later date)
• Appendix 12 – Format for demand guarantee (to be published at a later date)
• Appendix 13 – Detailed auction rules (to be published at a later date)

Investment Support Agreement

Final draft of the investment support agreement with annexes for Utsira Nord (Norwegian Only):

• Utkast til investeringsstøtteavtale for Utsira Nord
• Utkast til investeringsstøtteavtale for Utsira Nord (med markerte endringer)
• Vedlegg A - Beskrivelse av og krav til produksjonsanlegg og nettanlegg
• Vedlegg B - Inntektsdeling - regneeksempler
• Vedlegg C - Fremdriftsplan
• Vedlegg D - Format morselskapsgaranti (NOR) / Form of parent company guarantee (ENG)
• Vedlegg E - Format bankgaranti (NOR) / Form of on-demand guarantee (ENG)

Competition for state aid

The Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) has consented to the Ministry of Energy entering into commitments for support to floating offshore wind in Vestavind F and Vestavind B, provided that the total state aid does not exceed NOK 35 billion (2025 value), cf. Resolution 385 of 19 December 2024.

The rights holders that have been awarded project areas, and that have further developed and matured these, will subsequently be allowed to compete for state aid in a monetary auction. The auction will be organized in a way that only one rights holder will receive aid.

The auction will be carried out via sealed-bids, with participants submitting only one proposal. The winner of the competition will be the bidder offering the lowest support level for the realisation of its project (in support per MW). It will not be possible to submit a bid that exceeds the upper limit for state aid as set by the Parliament’s cost framework. Detailed rules for the competition will be published well in advance of the state aid auction.

The winner of the competition will be awarded state aid in the form of investment support. The winner must establish, operate and own an energy facility with an installed capacity as close to 500 MW as possible, given the selected turbine size, with an upper limit of 500 MW.

The rights holder that does not receive state aid may apply for an extension of the exclusive right to the project area, cf. Section 11 of the Offshore Energy Regulations.