Beatrice wind farm operators give commitment over Wick harbour damage
The operators of the Beatrice offshore wind farm say they are committed to playing their part in achieving a "quick and effective repair" to Wick's storm-damaged harbour.
Funding is being sought as a matter of urgency amid growing concerns over gaps that have appeared at the north pier harbour entrance. The damage came to light after Wick was battered by powerful waves during and after Storm Babet.
Wick Harbour Authority (WHA) says "emergency stabilisation" is needed but has given an assurance that contingency plans are in place to ensure the port will remain open should there be any further damage.
A multi-agency meeting was held in the town on Monday at which the harbour board gave a damage appraisal and put forward a proposed engineering solution.
Wick is the operations and maintenance base for the £2.5 billion Beatrice offshore wind farm which was officially opened in 2019. Beatrice is operated by SSE Renewables on behalf of a joint venture partnership and provides work for about 90 people.
A spokesperson for SSE said: “Representatives from Beatrice offshore wind farm met with Wick Harbour Authority and a number of partner agencies associated with the harbour earlier this week.
“We are incredibly proud of our place at the heart of operations in Wick harbour and are committed to working with partners to find a solution for the quick and effective repair of the damage caused by recent weather events.
“In the meantime, Wick harbour remains open and essential operations at Beatrice offshore wind farm continue.”
It is understood that Beatrice has established contingency plans to deal with a number of factors, including temporary port closures, as part of its normal operating procedures.
Meanwhile, Maree Todd has been in touch with Scottish Government ministers to explore possibilities for financial support.
Ms Todd, the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said: “Wick harbour plays a crucial economic role in Caithness. Although it’s reassuring to know contingency plans have kicked in following Storm Babet, there is still an urgent need for the stabilisation of the harbour wall.
“I have been engaging closely with the harbour authority and last week I wrote to Tom Arthur, the minister for community wealth and public finance in the Scottish Government, to enquire about the harbour’s eligibility for the Bellwin scheme. This scheme is specifically designed to offer financial assistance to councils dealing with large-scale emergencies such as storms.
"I have also reached out separately to the cabinet secretary for transport, Mairi McAllan, to enquire about any additional support that may be available.
“I’m grateful to Wick Harbour Authority for all its efforts in ensuring the port remains open. It’s critical that we now explore all funding avenues to ensure it stays operational.”
WHA has obtained tenders for emergency remedial works.
In a statement, the authority said: “Wick Harbour Authority would like to express our thanks to the 40-plus stakeholders, businesses and agencies who attended an emergency meeting on Monday. We are confident that a solution can be found to make good the damage caused by Storm Babet and in the meantime the harbour remains open for business.”
As reported earlier this week, harbour master Ian Cormack said: "It's probably the most incessant battering that the quays have ever had. We've had consistently high wave heights and swells.
"There is the potential for a partial collapse. How big that is it's impossible to say, but we do have a contingency in place to keep the harbour open.
"We are working with agencies. Everybody is coming together to try to find a solution. There are up to 200 jobs involved around the harbour which have got to be preserved.
"There are ongoing inspections to ascertain a cost."
Provost Jan McEwan, who represents Wick and East Caithness on Highland Council, warned: "The ramifications if the wall collapses will be devastating to Wick."
Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said a collapse would be a "catastrophe" for the local economy. "I believe that the plans to stabilise the situation and safeguard the harbour are sound, and I pay tribute to those who put them in place," he said. "But the fact is we need to take action as a matter of urgency."
