MORAY MP WELCOMES OFFSHORE WIND ANNOUNCEMENT.
Moray’s MP Angus Robertson has welcomed the announcement that SSE have reached financial close on their Beatrice Offshore Wind Project in the Moray Firth, meaning the project will now progress.
Angus Robertson MP said:
“The news that the first major offshore project in the Moray Firth has passed the final hurdle and has the final green light is great for the economies of Moray, the wider North East of Scotland and the Highlands.
“Moray is well placed to see some of the economic benefits of this multi-billion renewables projects which will support skilled jobs and more work for downstream suppliers.
“With further multi-billion projects in the pipeline for the Moray Firth the future for our harbours and for skills transfer from the Oil & Gas sector, which generates spend in our local economy, is very positive.”
It will see 84 turbines installed in the Outer Moray Firth, which will generate 588MW of power once operational in 2019.
The Scottish government gave the project consent in March 2014 and it was granted an investment contract by the UK government in May that year.
Construction work is expected to start next year.
The harbour at Wick will be used for the shipping in and out of equipment, turbines and construction workers.
SSE has the largest stake in the project - 40% - with organisations Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners having a 35% stake and SDIC Power 25%.
The project will be one of the largest private investments ever made in Scottish infrastructure, according to SSE.
It has claimed the farm would generate enough electricity for 450,000 properties and support about 890 jobs. Ninety staff would be needed to maintain the farm once it was operational.
Conservation group WWF Scotland said the scheme would help to tackle climate change, while Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) said it would bring important investment and jobs to the Highlands and Moray.
Dr Paul Monaghan MP said:
"I am delighted that the much anticipated announcement has finally been made that manufacturing and construction is to begin on this world leading project off the coast of Caithness".
"When operational, the wind farm will produce enough power to provide heat and light to 450,000 homes, which is roughly three times the number of homes in the Moray and Highland regions combined. That simple fact highlights the enormous scale of this project, and the number of high quality jobs that will be created in Caithness, Ross-Shire and Moray in the next few years as a result".
