A new wind turbine contract for a major North Sea development will lead to the creation of around 120 jobs near Hartlepool.
Dogger Bank wind farm partners Equinor and SSE Renewables have placed an order with GE Renewable Energy for 190 Haliade-X turbines for the first two phases of the project.
Turbine components will be assembled at Able’s Seaton port before being transported to the Dogger Bank site, 130km off the north-east coast of England.
Recruitment activity will start early next year, with offshore installation work commencing in 2023 for Dogger Bank A.
A further 120 skilled jobs will be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for operations and maintenance of the wind turbines.
Dogger Bank will be capable of powering up to 4.5 UK million homes each year when complete in 2026.
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: “I am thrilled to see so many green jobs on the way to the north-east of England thanks to our world-leading offshore wind industry.
“Projects like Dogger Bank are absolutely crucial to building back greener from the coronavirus pandemic – creating jobs, growing the economy and tackling climate change.
“I look forward to watching its progress in the months and years ahead.”
Steve Wilson, project director at SSE Renewables, said: “Signing the contract with GE Renewable Energy is not just great news for Dogger Bank and GE, but for the wider offshore wind industry, marking the first time a 13MW turbine will be installed in the world.
“In addition to this, today’s announcement will bring huge economic benefits to the North East of England, where 120 skilled jobs will be created during construction of the windfarm, along with 120 skilled jobs during the maintenance phase.
“These turbines are a true testament of how hard the offshore wind industry is working to continually innovate and drive down costs and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to help us deliver the largest offshore wind farm in the world.”
Peter Stephenson, ABLE UK’s executive chairman, commented: “Our sustained investment at Able Seaton Port means we can provide a bespoke and tailor-made solution for Dogger Bank.
“We are delighted that 120 skilled jobs will be based here at the Port, in this exciting and growing industry.”
John Lavelle, president and CEO, offshore wind at GE Renewable Energy, said: “In signing these orders with Dogger Bank, our Haliade-X technology will now have an important role to play in the UK’s offshore wind ambitions (40GW by 2030) and greenhouse emission reduction to net-zero by 2050.”
Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said: “The sheer scale of Dogger Bank brings huge opportunities to the UK. As well as being home to the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the north-east will benefit from hundreds of jobs and local supply chain opportunities.”
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