SSE has confirmed that Dogger Bank A - the UK's largest offshore windfarm - will not be fully completed until next year.
Challenging weather condition, worsened by vessel availability and supply chain delays have held up completion of the vast project.
The delay was confirmed in SSE's preliminary annual results, which have been published this morning.
Annual operating profit at the energy firm dropped 4%from £2.53billion to £2.43billion in the year ended 31 March.
Alistair Philips-Davies, chief executive at SSE, said: “This is a strong performance where we have delivered essential energy infrastructure, benefited from the resilience of our business model and made disciplined investment in our excellent growth opportunities.
“SSE is ideally placed to benefit from [the drive to renewables], creating value for shareholders and society.”
Operational highlights for the firm, which has a large wind power division, over the course of the year included delivering its first power at Dogger Bank and the confirmation of Eastern Green Link 2, a subsea transmission project.
SSE said it was on track to deliver on its financial and operational targets set for 2026-7, despite stormy weather at the start of the year hitting the provider’s construction of Dogger Bank.
The 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built off the East Coast of England, 70 nautical miles off the coast of Yorkshire, in three 1.2 GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
The hub is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%).
Investment
SSE invested almost £2.5billion building our infrastructure last year, mainly in renewables and grid projects.
In SSEN Transmission, £595.6million net capex was delivered, including £102million on the final stages of the Shetland connection with offshore works now complete and the project in the final commissioning phase. The East Coast Upgrade to 400kV also progressed with a further £117million invested during the period, which sees the first of three phases complete and successfully energised. A further £41million was also invested as part of the Eastern Green Link 2 and 3 preliminary works.
SSEN Distribution saw capex increase by 20% to £505.1million, with a continued focus on network resilience and future proofing for the expected consumer-led uptake in low-carbon technology.
SSE Renewables invested a total of £1.1billion during the period, including £219millio on the Viking onshore wind farm on Shetland, where all turbines have now been installed and commercial operations are expected in Summer 2024.
In the North Sea, Seagreen offshore wind farm reached commercial operations in October 2023 and SSE said £86million equity was drawn down to fund the final stages of construction.
In SSE Thermal, investment totalled £100million in the period, £30m of which was incurred on Slough Multifuel station, a joint venture with CIP, which achieved first fire in March 2024.