EDF Renewables and ESB will complete the 450MW Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) offshore wind farm off Scotland in 2024, rather than 2023 as initially planned.
The developers said the project has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic both in Europe and in the Far East, resulting in a delay to its commissioning.
The new Contract for Difference start date is June 2024.
First power from the project, currently under construction 15km off the coast of Fife, will be delivered in 2023.
The developers said that next week the first turbine components for NNG are scheduled for delivery to the Port of Dundee.
A total of 72 turbine tower sections, and 36 blades, are due to travel up the River Tay by barge in March and be brought alongside the new DunEco Quay.
They will be imported onto Scotland’s brand new custom built wind turbine marshalling facility.
Over the following months the sections will be assembled into 24 turbine towers, each 90 metres in height.
The blades, each 83.5 metres in length, will be stored at the Port of Dundee prior to their shipment to site.
Over the next few months, a total of 162 tower sections, 162 blades, and 54 nacelles will be delivered from turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa.
NnG’s 54 turbine towers will be assembled at the Port of Dundee before being placed on a specialist wind turbine installation vessel alongside nacelles and blades to transport them to, and install, at the project site.
The wind farm’s two offshore substations will soon be commissioned and energised with further drilling, piling and grouting work on the foundations carried out, the developers said.
The 54 jacket foundations will be installed in 2023 before installation of the turbines.
Onshore, the project’s new substation will be finished in 2022 as will the newbperations and maintenance building at Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders where there will be 50 new jobs.
NnG project director Matthias Haag said: “This is a major milestone for NnG as we see the first components delivered to our marine hub at the Port of Dundee.
“While the pandemic has impacted our timescales, we remain as committed as ever to working with the Scottish supply chain to get these turbines in the water and start generating clean, green electricity for the UK.”
Siemens Gamesa Hull plant director Andy Sykes said: “Siemens Gamesa in Hull is delighted to be supplying wind turbine blades to the NnG project and to be contributing to both the UK content and the provision of clean, green energy to UK households.”
Forth Ports director of energy David Webster said: “This is what we have been working towards with our £40m investment in the Port of Dundee.
“The port is ready and we look forward to bringing the first NnG components over the quayside and to playing our part in Scotland’s drive towards Net Zero carbon emissions.”