The UK’s state-owned rail infrastructure operator Network Rail has taken a major step towards its 2030 decarbonisation goal by signing a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CoPPA) with RWE to supply around 65% of its non‑traction electricity from the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of North Wales. The deal will deliver 300 GWh of renewable electricity annually over five years, helping the rail infrastructure owner cut its carbon emissions by an estimated 168,000 tonnes of CO2e.
The 576 MW Gwynt y Môr facility will begin powering Network Rail’s offices, depots and 20 managed stations from 1 April 2027. The agreement is Network Rail’s second CoPPA in a year, following a 2025 deal with EDF Renewables that secured 64 GWh per year from a new solar farm. Together, the two contracts are expected to supply about 80% of Network Rail’s non‑traction electricity from renewable sources.
Network Rail’s chief financial officer Paul Marshall said the RWE contract marks a significant step in the transition to clean power and underlines the role businesses and public bodies can play in driving investment in offshore wind.
Olaf Lubenow, Head of Commodity Solutions UK at RWE Supply & Trading, described the deal as the first public sector PPA under the UK Government Commercial Agency’s new framework and a sign of the company’s commitment to supporting the public sector’s sustainable energy transition.
The RWE agreement supports Network Rail’s Greener Railway Strategy, which aims to source 100% of non‑traction electricity from sustainable sources by 2030, reduce absolute emissions and build a more resilient, low‑carbon rail network for passengers and freight.
