The announcement comes just a day after the company submitted plans for the East Anglia THREE project, and after discussions with Associated British Ports.
The agreement will be worth approximately £25 million over the lifetime of the project.
Initial investment in the port will be used to establish the new operations facility and to carry out upgrades and modifications to the port and surrounding harbour area.
“Today’s announcement will help to make the East Anglia region the leading destination for investment and job creation in the UK’s Offshore Wind Power industry," said Jonathan Cole, managing director of Offshore Wind at ScottishPower Renewables.
“A new vision document published this week highlighted the huge potential of offshore wind power to contribute sustainable, cost-effective electricity for the UK, as well as helping the economy to grow," Cole continued. "What happens in East Anglia will be fundamentally important in delivering this vision. Off the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk billions of pounds of investments are being made, and tens of thousands of job opportunities are being created."
Approximately 100 people will be employed full-time at the port when East Anglia ONE is completed, with thousands of contractors and supply chain operators working from the site every year and contributing substantially to the local economy.
As for the company's plans for the East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm, the proposal submitted to the Planning Directorate calls for 172 wind turbines covering an area of 305km2 in the southern North Sea.
Once completed, East Anglia THREE could power the annual electricity demands of more than 750,000 homes. If approved, it is anticipated that onshore construction could begin in 2021, with offshore work starting in 2022 and first power generation achieved in 2023.
"This significant investment by ScottishPower Renewables, with its potential to create long-term, skilled jobs and boost the economy, is another example of how the port can make a valuable contribution to the prosperity of the town and its hinterland,”ABP Director Andrew Harston said.
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