The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Utility firm’s ‘Olympic’ contribution to economy
Wind array to operate from 2019
Perth-based power giant SSE makes an “Olympic-sized” contribution to the UK economy on an annual basis.
The company said its activities were worth £9.3 billion to the UK in 2016/17 – not far off the £9.9bn generated by the staging of the London Olympic Games in 2012.
It added that its operations had consistently been worth in the order of £9bn to the UK economy since 2011-12.
The figures came as the utility giant released a new study into the impact of the Beatrice offshore windfarm which it is developing in the Moray Firth.
SSE Renewables holds 40% of BOWL, the joint venture company tasked with building the array, alongside Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (35%) and Red Rock Power, the UK subsidiary of Shanghai-listed SDIC Power Holdings, which has a 25% stake.
The research states that total investment at Beatrice will reach approximately £2.6bn by the time the array – which will be capable of producing enough power for 450,000 homes – is operational in 2019.
Of the investment figure, 22% or £530 million will be spent in Scotland.
A similar figure will be pumped into the wider UK supply chain while a further £1.47bn will be spent in overseas territories.
Among the big Scottish winners from the infrastructure project is Fife-based Burntisland Fabrications.
All three of the group’s workyards and 200 staff are currently involved in producing the 22,500 of steels needed for 26 wind turbine jackets.
BiFab was brought in to do the work by Beatrice Tier 1 contractor Seaway Heavy Lifting.
Paul Cooley, SSE head of generation development, said: “The findings of the report show that our spending on the project will not just benefit the wider UK supply chain, but also the Scottish supply chain and the local communities near the windfarm.”
Lindsay Roberts, senior policy manager at industry body Scottish Renewables, said: “Studies of this type give everyone – local people, politicians and industry – important information about green energy development, enabling them to see the value of this industry to our country.”