One of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies will be injecting over £1.8 million into the north east economy following the construction of its Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm - which is expected to be generating clean electricity by autumn 2012.
RWE npower renewables, has today announced, that contracts secured by local firms are worth in the region of £1.5 million to the local economy and, once the wind farm becomes fully operational, a further £375,000 will be invested into local community projects and organisations.
In total, 18 local businesses have secured contracts to undertake construction activities to help build the six turbine wind farm near Kiln Pit Hill. These activities include cable installation, security services, building the substation, plant and material suppliers, joinery and concreting, and dry stone walling.
The Principle Contractors for the Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm are Enercon GmbH who supplied and erected the wind turbine generators - national companies, Balfour Beatty, who carried out the main electrical works, and I&H Brown, who are the main civil engineering contractor.
Kim Gascoigne, Senior Project Procurement Manager from RWE npower renewables said: “The construction of the Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm has allowed us to inject money into the local economy, providing an immediate economic stimulus and also provide new job opportunities.”
“Whilst the wind industry presents opportunities by creating jobs and boosting the local economy, we must follow current legislation and go through a competitive tender process for each part of the works - but we do believe that, local businesses are often well placed to secure these types of contracts, often as sub contractors to the principal contractors.”
The community fund associated with the Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm is worth £375,000 over the life time of the wind farm – up to 25 years - resulting in an annual payment of £15,000 which will be indexed linked in line with inflation and becomes available when the site starts generating electricity.
Further details about how local groups and organisations can apply for support from the community fund will be announced by the energy company shortly.
For further information about the Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm, visit www.npower-renewables.com/kilnpithill
Contact:
Rebecca Walton, PR Officer, RWE npower renewables
T 0191 350 4239
M 07788 303007
E rebecca.walton@rwe.com
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