Jack hitch delays £325m wind farm

Essential barge maintenance is taking place [Picture: SMIT]

Offshore work on a £325m wind farm in the Solway Firth has been delayed by the late arrival of a jack-up barge.

E.ON UK - which is behind the Robin Rigg project - has confirmed that work will have to start later this year rather than in the summer as planned.

The barge, named the Lisa A, needs to undergo vital maintenance work.

However, the company said it remained confident that it could make up the lost time and still have the wind farm operational by 2009.

The Rotterdam-based jack-up barge is due to install the foundations for the 60-turbine scheme.

'Essential work'

Once it is up and running, Robin Rigg will generate enough energy to power more than 100,000 homes.

Project manager Ian Johnson said he believed that the development could still be brought back on schedule.

"The Lisa A is undergoing some essential work to get her ready for this job and, unfortunately, things have taken longer than the vessel's owners had expected," he said.

"We'll now work through the winter to make up for the delay and I'm hopeful that we will get the job done on time and have Robin Rigg fully up and running by spring 2009."

Once the foundations are in place, it is hoped the turbines can be fitted early next year.