Completion of Scottish Beatrice project is delayed

Installation of the second 5 MW turbine in Beatrice offshore wind project, 12 miles off north-east Scotland, has been postponed. Bad weather intervened during installation and the Belgian heavy lift barge, the Rambiz, had to leave for another job. The first wind turbine was floated out to site from the fabrication yard at Nigg and installed in August. The 5 MW Repower machines -- the biggest turbines yet to go up offshore -- are being installed in deep water at the Beatrice oil platform in the Moray Firth owned by Canadian oil company Talisman. The demonstration project, costing a colossal £24 million (EUR 35.7 million), is a joint venture between Talisman and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and has received funding from the EU, UK government and Scottish Executive. Talisman and SSE are now considering whether the turbine can be installed later this year when the Rambiz is available, or whether to wait until 2007. Meantime, the Health and Safety Executive is investigating an accident during installation of the first turbine which resulted in a construction worker losing a leg. The accident occurred on the Rambiz while a module was being installed on a platform sub-structure -- or jacket. According to Talisman, the worker was a Talisman representative working for Maris Ltd. His leg became trapped between the module and the jacket during operations to lift the module into place. He was airlifted to hospital, where he underwent surgery to amputate his leg.