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News from Economy Power and Pennant Wind Energy Ventures
21st June 2004
Energy company aims to bring 50 jobs to Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent is set to gain up to 50 new jobs following an agreement between two Welsh-based energy companies.
The customer service jobs will be provided by Economy Power, which has signed an agreement to buy electricity from the Pendragon Windfarm being developed by Pennant Wind Energy Ventures Ltd.
Economy Power, which is Wales's fastest growing company and specialises in supplying energy to SME businesses, has pledged to set up a customer service centre in Blaenau Gwent. It will create 20 new jobs associated with the Windfarm - and aims to reach 50 in the longer term.
Economy Power is buying the electricity through its green energy subsidiary Eco2. The Pendragon Windfarm, which is planned for a site on Mynydd James, Cefn Coch and Coity mountains, will produce enough power to supply the equivalent of 20,000 homes. The proposal is currently awaiting planning determination.
Pennant Wind Energy Ventures is proposing to share the benefits of the project with local people by setting up community trusts to distribute £4 million for community projects during the lifetime of the windfarm. It is also planned to make a substantial gift of historically important land to the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon. The creation of new jobs would significantly boost these benefits.
Economy Power chairman Jeff Morgan said, "This is an exciting development that will further benefit the local community by bringing new jobs to the area. We plan to set up our new customer service centre in Blaenau Gwent and the jobs we will create will be of high quality. Economy Power is now the largest independent electricity supplier in the UK, and this agreement will help us to achieve further growth. It will also help to preserve the 200 jobs we already have in Wales through meeting our environmental commitments"
Pennant Wind Energy Ventures managing director Dale Hart added, "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Economy Power, a Welsh-based company with a strong commitment to growing its operations in Wales. The green energy Economy Power buys will contribute to Britain's target of producing ten per cent of our energy needs by 2010, helping to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases that are believed to cause global warming."
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Contacts: Economy Power Scarlett Fish on 029 2020 5272
Pennant Wind: Wynford Emanuel / Lydia Spooner on 029 2055 5505
Notes for newsdesks
Economy Power, a provider of low cost power to UK businesses, was named the fastest growing company in Wales in 2003 after achieving a growth rate of more than 10,000 per cent. The company has also been named as one of the best employers in the UK technology sector. In May 2004 they also won the Western Mail's Fast Growth 50 - Excellence in Growth Award. It has its headquarters in Cardiff, and employs a total of 250 people.
Pennant Wind Energy Ventures was formed to develop green energy schemes. Its Pendragon Windfarm proposal involves the siting of 24 wind turbines on the mountains between Blaina and Blaenavon. The company has held exhibitions and distributed information about the scheme to local people.