Rugeley Power Station will close in June with 120 jobs being axed

A total of 120 jobs are expected to be lost at the end of next month, with the other 30 jobs remaining for a further nine months as part of the decommissioning process.

The plant will take three years to demolish after the nine month decommissioning period.

Amanda Milling, the MP for Cannock Chase, described the closure of the plant as 'an end of an era'.

She said: "Today's announcement by ENGIE confirming Rugeley B Power Station will be ceasing operations at the end of June is incredibly disappointing news, although not unexpected given their announcement in February that this was likely to happen, given deteriorating market conditions.

"The closure of the power station really is the end of an era, being one of the last remaining connections to our historic mining heritage, with much of the locally mined coal going to the two power stations.

"This news is a real blow to the Rugeley community, most particularly for the employees, contactors and wider supply chain.

"The power station's workforce is drawn from a wide area and many surrounding towns and villages will be affected as well as Rugeley.

"Since the original announcement of the potential closure I have visited the power station several times and held numerous meetings with ENGIE's management team, trade union representatives and Government Ministers, including the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the Rt. Hon. Amber Rudd MP, to discuss the support that can be provided for the workforce as well as the future of the site should the power station close.

"At this difficult time it is most important that we all work together to help affected staff and contractors. I would like to call on local businesses, which have both skilled and unskilled vacancies, to contact the Power Station and the Cannock Job Centre Plus so that the workforce, including both employees and contractors, are aware of any vacancies. The plant has a wealth of skilled employees including fabricators, engineers, management, maintenance and high pressure welders – to name just a few. Many of the employees are also highly experienced having worked at the power station for many years. Talking to local businesses I know there is real demand for experienced and skilled employees."

The MP is holding a jobs fair at Rugeley Rose Theatre on Friday, June 17, from 10am to 1pm, to help those affected.

She said: "It is important to note that approximately 30 people will be kept on for several months for the decommissioning of the power station so this valuable time will allow for more of the workforce to find new jobs.

"Turning to the future of the site. The redevelopment of the power station site represents a major opportunity for Rugeley. The site is a significant size and could accommodate numerous development opportunities which can provide both employment and housing for the area. The redevelopment of the Rugeley A Power Station and Lea Hall Colliery sites demonstrate what can be achieved – now these sites are home to housing, business parks and logistics centres – which have created thousands of new jobs.

"Since ENGIE's announcement in February I have been holding talks with the management team, the Taskforce, local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships, and government ministers about how the site can be speedily redeveloped to capitalise on the opportunities that it presents for our area and the local economy. This included visiting the site with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt. Hon. Greg Clark MP, last month and holding a debate in Parliament about the future uses of the Rugeley B site.

"In the coming weeks and months I will continue to hold talks with all parties, both locally and nationally, so that we can ensure that workforce are supported in finding new roles and ensuring that there are no delays in the redevelopment of this strategically important site."

Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "It is sad news to hear that a closure date has been confirmed, but in the current economic environment everyone should be hopeful that all the highly-skilled engineers there will find other, comparable employment within the company or elsewhere.

"Specialists have been on site for some time offering job advice and I'm optimistic that with fewer than one per cent of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Staffordshire their prospects are good."

He added: "Staffordshire County Council has a proven track record of working with others to redevelop brownfield sites, including at the former Meaford power station near Stone, and delivering huge infrastructure projects such as i54 South Staffordshire.

"Since the initial announcement that the future of the power station was in doubt we have been begun working with Engie, Cannock Chase and Lichfield District Councils and several government departments to begin developing plans for the future use of this important site."

A statement from French company ENGIE, who own and run the power station, said: "Following consultation with employees and unions, ENGIE is now confirming that Rugeley will cease operations by the end of June 2016.

"ENGIE is planning a staged reduction in the number of employees on site in line with its decommissioning plan. There will be no compulsory redundancies before end of June. Outplacement support is being made available to all employees and, where possible, ENGIE continues to identify redeployment opportunities for Rugeley employees elsewhere across the business. Many of the 150 employees have already found new employment opportunities in the area.

"Enabling works for decommissioning have commenced and ENGIE expects the full decommissioning of the plant to last up to 9 months with a workforce of approximately 30 people in place through this period. The subsequent demolition phase will take around three years.

"ENGIE is in the early stages of exploring a range of redevelopment options for the site and will remain engaged with relevant local stakeholders who will be kept fully updated on progress as these plans are developed over the coming months.

The closure of coal-fired generation capacity in the UK reflects a wider energy transition that is taking place towards a less carbon-intensive and more decentralised energy system. ENGIE remains one of the UK's largest independent power producers and is a major supplier to commercial and industrial energy and services customers. ENGIE will continue to invest in its energy and services capabilities to support this energy transition as a long-term committed partner for the UK."