MHI Vestas: Offshore wind power plant delivers long term jobs in Mostyn

During the visit to the wind power plant the Shadow Energy Minister presented three MHI Vestas Offshore Wind employees with 10 year service awards.  The three technicians Chris Keeting, Bryn Hughes and Peter Brown have all worked at the wind power plant since it opened in 2004. The technicians have backgrounds in electrical engineering and have been successful in reducing maintenance downtime at the wind power plant, thereby maximising its production. 

The safety of workers at offshore wind plants is absolutely paramount to MHI Vestas Offshore Wind. North Hoyle has an impressive safety record with over 2300 days without a lost time incident.  

North Hoyle is owned by RWE Innogy UK and was the UK’s first commercial offshore wind power plant when it opened in 2004. Over its 10 year life a team of 12 employees has worked from the Port of Mostyn to service and maintain the turbines.  The wind power plant has benefited the local economy by creating jobs and supporting the viable operation of the port. 

The 30 turbines used at North Hoyle can each generate up to 2MW of power and have 80 metre rotor diameters.   Together they generate enough electricity for approximately 40,000 homes every year. Over the 10 year life of the wind power plant turbine technology has evolved greatly.  The turbines MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is due to install at the Burbo Bank Extension off Liverpool Bay are four times as powerful as those at North Hoyle.  Each will be capable of generating up to 8MW of power.  The rotor diameter of the new turbines is 164 metres compared to 80 metres at North Hoyle.  

Caroline Flint MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change commented: “The awards I presented today clearly demonstrate that offshore wind creates skilled, long term jobs.”

She continued: “The UK leads the world in offshore wind. North Hoyle was the important first step to creating a sustainable energy source for the UK. The whole community should rightly feel proud of what has been achieved here.”

Bryn Hughes, Offshore Service Technician said: “I am really proud to have worked at North Hoyle for 10 years. It’s a fantastic job and the whole team – including the turbines - work really hard.  The UK now has more offshore wind power plants than the rest of the world combined, so to have been involved from the very beginning is amazing.”

Che Murphy, Site Manager for North Hoyle said: “North Hoyle is a great wind power plant and the guys who operate it have worked incredibly hard to ensure it operates to maximum effectiveness.  Over its 10 year life it’s given so much back to the local community.  It’s created long term jobs and supported the operation of the port.  We’re really pleased RWE has just awarded us a contract to maintain the wind power plant for another 10 years.” 

David Hanson MP for Delyn commented: “Offshore wind power plays an important part in providing jobs and investment in our local economy, in protecting our environment for future generations.  I'm pleased Caroline has been able to come and see the good work being done locally for herself and has been able to commit to continuing to support offshore wind in our area.”

Senior Project Manager, Jonathan Darling, from RWE Innogy which owns North Hoyle said: “North Hoyle has been a benchmark for the UK offshore industry since it began generating more than ten years ago as the first commercial scale, operational offshore wind farm in the UK.  Since then, the experience and expertise developed at North Hoyle and the dedicated supply chain which has developed around the Port of Mostyn has become crucial in supporting the construction and operation of other wind farms in North Wales.”