Group of Ferrybridge Power Station workers transferred to Lincolnshire

A group of workers at Ferrybridge Power Station who face losing their jobs next year will be transferred to a site in Lincolnshire.
Ferrybridge Power Station.Ferrybridge Power Station.
Ferrybridge Power Station.

Site operators SSE announced the coal-fired power station at Ferrybridge would close by the end of March 2016 due to rising costs and new environmental legislation.

Now, 21 staff will move across to Keadby gas-fired power station which will reopen on Monday, November 9.

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Paul Smith, SSE’s managing director for generation, said: “This means the government and National Grid have more capacity with which to power people’s homes this winter.

“The station has undergone extensive upgrades meaning it can operate with improved flexibility in the market.

“It is also great news that we’ve been able to bring across some 21 employees from Ferrybridge; as we respond to changing market conditions and the challenge of reducing carbon emissions.”

Mr Smith said its closure will lead to 172 of the company’s staff losing their jobs.

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But unions said there will be up to 400 people put out of work by the plans as it will also affect sub-contractors working at the site.

Phil Whitehurst, national officer for the GMB union, said the site’s closure could lead to energy issues in winter 2016.

He said: “SSE has said 172 workers will lose their jobs but there is also the sub-contractors who work at Ferrybridge so I would imagine you could easily double their figure and it would be near to 400 people who will lose their jobs.

“On top of that you have also got the supply chain for the site and the knock-on effect its closure has on that. That effect could be an additional 400 jobs. It’s going to be absolutely devastating for the community around the site.”

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Speaking when the closure was first announced Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper said: “This is awful news not just for the 170 people who are employed directly but also for the hundreds of contractors who are expected to lose their jobs as well.

“This is also devastating for Ferrybridge and the surrounding area. It also comes on the back of job losses at Kellingley Colliery as well.