Suppliers
The proposed wind park represents a great opportunity for UK businesses and will provide a vital boost to our economy. It is anticipated that a minimum of 1,700 jobs could be created either directly during construction and installation of the wind park, or indirectly within the local and regional supply chain.
Navitus Bay is committed to a local, regional and UK supply chain for all stages of the project's life cycle from development, through construction and into operations and will actively support the participation of UK, regional and local companies. The proposal will require a variety of skills and Navitus Bay has already started engaging with the supply chain to advise about opportunities and requirements. If you would like to be updated on these events and learn how to best bid for works, good and services:
Operation and maintenance
Navitus Bay has already announced a shortlist of three local ports – Poole, Portland and Yarmouth – to host the wind park’s operation and maintenance base, which will effectively be the wind park’s headquarters over its 25 year lifespan. This is expected to provide an economic value of £590 million to the local economy, and support 140 jobs annually.
Our intention to pursue ‘memoranda of understanding’ with the same three local ports. The aim of these agreements is to formalise Navitus Bay’s commitment to not only use local ports for operations and maintenance but to maximise opportunities for construction activities where technically feasible, for example turbine assembly and building the wind park foundations, and to assist these ports with their development plans.
We will conduct additional surveys and scoping work to ensure that local ports are able to capitalise on the significant opportunities that the development presents.
This is also very good news not just for Weymouth and Portland but for the whole of Dorset and potentially represents a massive boost to the local economy not just now but for many years to come..
Ian McQuade, General Manager, Portland Port
Developing renewable power also creates local construction and maintenance jobs which can be really significant with a huge project such as Navitus Bay.
Andy Atkins, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth
Timescales
If planning permission is granted, the major component supply and construction contracts are anticipated to be awarded during 2017 following the Financial Investment Decision (FID). The FID, scheduled for Q1 2017, will be taken by the shareholders of Navitus Bay Development Ltd and will be the green light for release of the funds to construct the project. The issuing of Invitations to Tender for the main packages of work such as turbines, foundations, cables and installation activities will go to market during an 18 month period ahead of FID.
