Wednesday 19 September 2012

New Energy Minister to say energy investment boosts economic recovery

The new Energy Minister John Hayes is expected to trumpet the role of the energy industry in pulling the economy out of the doldrums at the opening of a new gas power station in Wales this morning.

On one of his first official visits since taking over the ministerial briefing from Charles Hendry in the reshuffle, Mr Hayes will meet with head of RWE npower Volker Beckers at Pembroke power station which officially opens today.

Mr Hayes is expected to say investment in energy is good for Britain’s economic recovery and in creating jobs.

The 2,000 megawatt (MW) power station has taken three years to build and is said to be one of the largest combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant in Europe, using technology which is more efficient than traditional gas plants. It will employ around 100 people.

Representing £1 billion worth of investment in the region, Pembroke is likely to be npower’s last multi-million pound investment in the UK economy until the completion of the Energy Bill, after the German firm pulled out its Horizon nuclear power project.

In the past few months, the supplier has said it is waiting on policy signals in the new legislation before committing more money to power projects in the UK.

Earlier this week npower announced it is closing two of its plants in the UK, the coal-fired Didcot A and oil plant Fawley, to fall in line with the EU Large Combustion Directive.