Two unexploded devices, detected along the Rampion offshore cable route will be safely disposed of this week, E.On have confirmed.
The company discovered the two devices, thought to date from WWII, in March during unexploded ordnance (UXO) surveys, which are undertaken as protocol during offshore construction works. The bombs are lying on the seabed, 3km off Lancing Beach at a water depth of 13m.
Two controlled explosions are scheduled to take place between Tuesday and Thursday this week, during daylight hours, subject to logistics and weather conditions. The time will be confirmed on the day via a Notice to Mariners. Commercial and recreational sea users have been informed of the controlled explosion and the 2km radius safety exclusion zone that will be monitored during the event.
Chris Tomlinson, E.On development manager for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, said: “Since the discovery we’ve been working with experts to determine the best course of action to clear the site and a routine controlled explosion is now due to take place this coming week.
Tomlinson added “we request that anyone wishing to watch proceedings stays on the beach”, saying whether anything was visible would depend on sea conditions and how much the devices had degraded.
The 400MW Rampion Offshore Wind Farm is being built 13km off the Sussex coast by E.On, the UK Green Investment Bank plc and Canadian energy company Enbridge. It is due to be completed in 2018.
Piling work on the 116 turbine project was paused earlier in the year for the black bream spawning season.
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