An offshore wind farm located in the Moray Firth 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Dunbeath and a similar distance south southeast of Lybster. Developed as a demonstrator project by Talisman Energy (UK) Limited and Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE), the farm was constructed in relatively deep water (45m / 148 feet) at an initial cost of £28.6 million. It represents Scotland's first offshore wind farm. Operational since 2007, the site began as two 5 megawatt (MW) German-made turbines with blades 126m (413 feet) in diameter and mounted on columns which are 88m (289 feet) in height. Power was routed by a 33 kV undersea cable to the Beatrice Alpha oil platform, 1¼ miles (2 km) away. Oil-field operations ceased in 2015.
Between 2016 and 2018, with £2.5 billion investment, the Beatrice Wind Farm was expanded to an installed capacity of 588 MW, with the installation of 84 Siemens Gamesa turbines. These 7 MW turbines have a blade diameter of 154m (505 feet) and sit on top of 101m / 331-foot-high columns. This new development is located approximately 12 miles / 20 km north northeast ofthe original demonstrator site. It was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, on 29th June 2019. Power now comes onshore near Portgordon in Moray, and is connected to the National Grid via a sub-station at Blackhillock, to the south of Keith, which was the biggest electricity sub-station in Britain when it opened.
Now owned jointly by SSE Renewables and three investment partners, the windfarm is operated and maintained from Wick Harbour, which saw an investment of £20 million.
