The developer behind the solar farm at the LF Wade International Airport has been targeted with a $1.3 million lawsuit over the project.

Noesis Consulting Limited launched a legal action against Saturn Solar Developments Ltd in May alleging that they suffered damages after they were fired from the project.

The Supreme Court heard that Noesis, a local firm, had signed on to build the 6MW solar facility and supply and install submarine power and fibre optic cables while Saturn Solar would manage and operate the project.

But the Noesis contract was pulled last October as the project neared completion.

No reason for the decision has been released and a Saturn spokesman said Saturn Power was unable to comment “due to confidentiality restrictions that exist on the agreements for this project”.

Noesis have claimed $1,347,386.17 in damages

The dispute came before the Supreme Court on June 18 as Noesis sought an injunction after reports of a possible sale of the project.

Curtis Dickinson, the Minister of Finance, announced in the House of Assembly that the Bermuda Infrastructure Fund had signed a letter of intent to purchase the project for $9.1 million.

He added that the developer, Saturn Power, had signed an agreement with Belco to sell the electricity produced at the site for 20 years.

Counsel for Noesis raised concerns that, if the sale was to go ahead, Saturn could take the proceeds of the sale off island, making it difficult for Noesis to recover any compensation won in the case.

The Supreme Court granted the injunction, but Noesis later called on the court to discharge it with immediate effect.

Counsel for Saturn told the court they did not own the solar project, and as a result, could not sell it and that Noesis had rushed forward with an “ill-founded and misconceived” application.

The solar farm, an array of 24,000 panels on a disused runway, was hoped to be up and running by the end of last year.