Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has welcomed an announcement from Ocean Winds that more than 20 new jobs are being created in the operations and maintenance phase of the Moray East Offshore Windfarm.
The new posts are in addition to approximately 60 positions the firm has indicated will be needed to service the development’s 100 turbines.
While the construction teams aren’t due to hand over the wind farm until next year, OW said recruitment is needed now to build and train the Operations and Maintenance team.
The existing marine co-ordination crew in Fraserburgh will be absorbed into O&M, with the construction of a new facility in the town’s harbour allowing all staff to work from the same purpose-built facility. The windfarm is due to become fully operational in 2022 and will provide enough green energy to power 950,000 homes.
The turbines for Moray East are currently being assembled at Global Energy Group’s Nigg facility. Upon completion, it will hold the honour of being Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.
Scottish Conservative MP for Banff and Buchan David Duguid said:
“I have closely followed and supported the Moray East development and its ever-growing links to Fraserburgh and it is especially welcome to see this announcement of a further 20 new jobs in the area.
“This windfarm, which will be the largest in the Scotland when fully operational, joins the Hywind floating windfarm off Peterhead and which is already the most efficient in Britain. Both developments are helping with the transition to green energy in the North-East.
“The UK Government has an unwavering commitment to our energy industry. New green-energy projects are bringing investment and jobs to our local communities thanks to the North Sea Transition Deal announced earlier this year and the Prime Minister’s ten-point-plan announced last November.
“This latest announcement is more evidence of that commitment and signals a prosperous future for the North-East energy industry within the United Kingdom.”