Energy firm SSE has said "significant progress" has been made towards a major wind farm development off the Moray coast, as it announced a new partner for the project.

The Beatrice wind farm could generate as much as 750 megawatts of electricity from its 140 turbines.

SSE has agreed to sell a portion of its shareholding to fund management company Copenhagen ­Infrastructure Partners (CIP), which will own 25 per cent of the project after the deal has gone through.

SSE will then own 50 per cent and Repsol Nuevas Energias UK will have the remaining 25 per cent.

Brian McFarlane, project director for Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, said: "Whilst there is still a significant amount of work to be done, this latest milestone allows the project to continue progressing towards a final investment decision in 2016."