Burnham hails £12bn wind farm investment ahead of climate summit

Summarised from 4 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 11 Nov, 15:58 · Archive

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has welcomed a £12 billion investment in offshore wind farms off the Norfolk coast as he prepares to attend the Cop31 climate summit in Turkey.

Energy company RWE and investment firm KKR announced the funding for two major projects: Vanguard West and Vanguard East. The financing package includes £1 billion from the state-owned National Wealth Fund. Construction is set to begin early next year, with the wind farms expected to deliver power by 2030.

The Vanguard projects represent one of the UK's largest offshore wind developments, generating around 2.8 gigawatts, enough to supply three million homes. The Government said the investment would support more than 2,400 jobs in the construction and operation phases.

Mr Burnham described the investment as 'a vote of confidence for building in Britain'. He said: 'It is great news for billpayers because every turbine we put up is power under British control, not at the mercy of events on the other side of the world.' He also claimed that coastal communities from Scotland to East Anglia would benefit from the jobs and opportunities the projects would bring.

The Prime Minister argued that the investment represented homegrown energy that would bring returns for the taxpayer and help bring down bills. The Mirror reports that Mr Burnham claimed the investment could stop Britain's energy prices being hit by events such as the Iran war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Daily Mail reports that Mr Burnham is the only G7 leader attending the Cop31 summit in Antalya. Leaders from France, Italy and Canada are skipping the event, and the United States is not sending officials after withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

The Guardian Business reports that the wind farm announcement comes as the government tries to repair its green credentials after approving the controversial Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea.

How it is being reported

• Burnham hails £12bn wind farm investment as he prepares for Cop31 climate talksThe Prime Minister said the investment was a vote of confidence in the UK.Evening Standard · 11 Nov, 10:20
• Burnham lauds £12bn offshore wind investment as he prepares for climate summitProject off Norfolk coast announced as government tries to calm critics after approving Jackdaw gasfield UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has hailed a record investment in offshore wind, as the government tries to repair its green credentials after approving the controversial Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea. On Wednesday the government announced a £12bn investment from the German energy company RWE and the US private equity firm KKR, as the prime minister prepares to travel to the Cop31 climate crisis summit in Turkey. Continue reading...Guardian Business · 11 Nov, 09:46
• Burnham hails approval for two huge windfarm projects as ‘power under British control’ – UK politics liveAnnouncement comes ahead of visit to Cop31 climate conference with PM also set to face MPs at PMQs Good morning. Andy Burnham has got PMQs today, and after that he will leave for what looks like a rather hectic Turkey/Ireland trip which tomorrow will see him address the Cop31 climate summit in the morning, before attending his first major summit with EU leaders (and some other European leaders – it’s a European Political Community event) in Dublin later in the day. Of the two events, the EPC is probably the more important for Burnham because it will give him the chance to clear the air ahead…Guardian World · 11 Nov, 08:55
• Virtue-signalling Burnham boasts of wind farm boom as he jets off to COP climate 'talking shop' in Turkey… but every other G7 leader skips summitThe PM hailed a £12billion investment in two major projects off the Norfolk coast as he prepares to head for the COP31 gathering.Daily Mail · 11 Nov, 08:16
• Andy Burnham says £12billion wind farm investment 'great for billpayers' ahead of Cop31 climate talksWelcomed by energy companies, the PM claimed the investment could stop Britain’s energy prices being hit by events such as the Iran war and Russia’s invasion of UkraineThe Mirror · 11 Nov, 08:02
• Burnham hails £12bn wind farm investment as he prepares for Cop31 climate talksThe Prime Minister said the investment was a vote of confidence in the UK.Evening Standard · 11 Nov, 07:24

In this story: Andy Burnham · RWE · KKR · National Wealth Fund · Norfolk · Turkey · Antalya

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