A NORTH-EAST offshore wind farm providing electricity to about 40,000 homes will start generating power within weeks.

The Teesside wind farm, off the coast of Redcar, will feature 27 turbines, each capable of generating up to 2.3 megawatts of power, and is being built by energy supplier EDF Energy Renewables.

The firm said 13 of the turbine generators have now been installed, and bosses believe the first turbines erected will start producing power during the spring, once electrical tests have been carried out.

The project has created work for North-East workers, with MPI Offshore, based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, transporting, lifting and installing parts for the wind farm, using its 138 metre vessel, MPI Adventure, out of the Port of Hartlepool.

Work on installing the remaining wind turbine generators will be finished later this year.

Ian Swales, MP for Redcar, visited the site, and said he was impressed with the development, which is EDF'S first offshore wind farm.

He said: “It's great to see the work that goes into constructing new green technology.

“This is an important step along the low carbon economy journey we all must take, wind turbines harness incredible power and I'm delighted it is happening in Redcar.”