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