Construction will now begin on the onshore infrastructure, including cables and a substation. Offshore work is not set to start until 2016, with completion of the whole project lined up for late 2017.
The total investment in the project is expected to be £1.5 billion (EUR 1.9 billion). Statoil said that it expects its contribution to be NOK 5.5 billion (EUR 657 million) after the partnership structure has been finalised.
Statoil and Statkraft were given the go ahead by the UK authorities in 2012, but had to downsize the project from 560MW to 402MW, which was approved by the government last year.
The project qualified for the UK's new Contract for Difference subsidy regime in April, making it one of the first to do so.
It will be made up of 67 of Siemens' SWT-6.0-154 6MW turbines. ABB has been contracted to provide the electrical works.
.png)
.jpg)
