THE date has been revealed when the final giant wind turbine at Hunterston will be taken down in a controlled demolition.

After six years of operation and testing, SSE Renewables is set to conclude decommissioning of the Hunterston National Offshore Wind Turbine Testing Facility with the felling of the remaining structure on September 26.

The detonation had originally been pencilled in to take place on Thursday before the rethink.

The operation will be subject to suitable weather conditions, with the site returned to the control of owner Peel Ports.

Bosses this week said the testing facility had paved the way for the creation of technology now used around the world.

SSE director of operations Jeremy Williamson said: "Hunterston’s unique offshore-like wind resource, coupled with its existing grid connection, made it the ideal site for testing new offshore turbine technology on land.

"After successfully concluding its intended role, the site will be handed back."

Mr Williamson added: “Our Hunterston testing facility was instrumental in enabling the deployment of offshore wind turbine technology for the UK’s offshore wind supply chain.

“The site had a key role in providing key data enabling the deployment of turbines at the recently completed Beatrice offshore wind farm in Scotland. Hunterston also allowed for testing under real-world conditions technologies which have since been deployed on offshore wind turbines across the world.”

The original intention was to dismantle the components of the Siemens turbine by crane.

However, a suitable method of safely dismantling the turbine by this method could not be established and as a result, a controlled explosion was been identified as only feasible method for decommissioning the Siemens machine.

Hunterston’s project manager Ross Cowie said “We have successfully employed the same technique in conjunction with Keltbray to bring turbines down at other sites in the past, so we have the knowledge and experience to fell this turbine safely.”

SSE Major Projects Liaison Manager Murray West said: "The blow-down has been rescheduled and will now take place one week later than planned on Thursday 26 September, weather permitting.

"No other aspect of the decommissioning plan has changed and all relevant stakeholders including Police Scotland, EDF, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Peel Ports and NAC have been made aware of the delay."