Duncan Jones helps RWE open new Wind Farm Service Centre in mid Wales

The move will see the company almost double its current O&M workforce in Wales and take up a second business unit in Parc Derwen Fawr, one of Welsh Assembly Government's greenest business parks. Ospreys star Duncan Jones attended the launch in mid-Wales to make the good news.

RWE npower renewables' Director of Technical Services Pete Williams said: "RWE NRL is one of the largest developers of clean green energy in the UK and will be at the forefront of delivering Welsh and UK energy policy in the future. The delivery of these challenging green energy targets opens up a world of opportunity for the creation of new and long lasting jobs.

"We are delighted to be able to bring these opportunities to life and prove the reality of the associated economic benefits here in Llanidloes, traditionally the centre for our Operations and Maintenance activities in Wales."

The company, first established offices in Llanidloes in 1994, before expanding into new, purpose built WAG business units in October 2008. From these offices, the company now operates, manages and maintains its expanding portfolio of onshore windfarms in Wales.

As part of a recent review of its Operations and Maintenance function, the company is growing its inhouse maintenance team and has now leased a second unit at Llanidloes' Parc Derwen Fawr, developed to BREEAM standards by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The expansion will see RWE npower renewables increase its Llanidloes-based workforce from 14 operations and administration staff, by an additional 12 over the next three years, with eight new posts already appointed. The Assembly Government will be assisting skills training for new and existing employees through the Workforce Development Programme.

The news has been welcomed by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, who said the growth of the 'green' technology and services sector has been rapid over the past five years and estimated to be worth 9% of Welsh GVA.

"This latest expansion supports our green jobs strategy which is one of the priorities in the Assembly Government's One Wales programme and illustrates quite clearly how tackling the impact of climate change can also create real economic benefits and opportunities.

"RWE npower renewables is a UK market leader, extremely well established and has the backing of one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe. It has a number of sites and offices around Wales and I am delighted to see them reinvesting in Llanidloes which is becoming a growing centre for renewable energy and technology in Mid Wales."