Keppel Prince says 150 jobs are under threat

Portland engineering company Keppel Prince executive director Steve Garner told The Standard the jobs of about 150 south-west workers were under a cloud after the contract to build 52 towers for the Ryan Corner wind farm near Port Fairy went to an overseas company.

Mr Garner said the contract would have ensured about 12 months work for 150 employees. He said the contract to build 25 towers at the Hawkesdale wind farm had also gone to the same overseas country and they needed the Woolsthorpe wind farm contract to maintain the workforce.

But a spokeswoman for the state government said Victoria's renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030 had "provided much needed certainty for investors, project developers and suppliers."

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"The Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) Auction supported 928 megawatts of new capacity and included strong local content requirements to ensure that Victorian manufacturers such as Keppel Prince benefit from the transition to clean energy - which created hundreds of jobs across our state," she said.

"A second VRET Auction will be launched in the coming months supporting at least 600 megawatts of new capacity, which will also create the next wave of jobs in manufacturing, engineering and the operation of solar and wind farms."

Wannon MP and Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan did not respond to The Standard's request of comment.

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