Tuesday 19 May 2015

GMB calls for job guarantees on £1.3bn wind farm

The GMB union has asked for job assurances on a £1.3 billion Sussex wind farm.

The request follows E.ON's confirmation it will invest and build the 400MW Rampion offshore wind farm. The energy company said it expects to create up to 450 jobs during the main building phase.

GMB National Secretary for energy, Gary Smith said: “We need guarantees on how many jobs this investment funded by consumers will create in the UK and locally in Sussex.

"Unless Government insists on guarantees on local components sourcing and local jobs in return for higher bills, I think we can safely say the turbines will be built in Germany and Denmark, brought over on Dutch barges and in turn be connected by cables made in China.”

The wind farm will be located 13 kilometres off the Sussex coast and consists of 116 turbines.