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Dale Farm: £40m project 'on hold' over lack of energy infrastructure | Dale Farm: £40m project 'on hold' over lack of energy infrastructure |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A £40m investment is on hold because of delays in getting energy infrastructure to the west of Northern Ireland, a leading businessman has said. | A £40m investment is on hold because of delays in getting energy infrastructure to the west of Northern Ireland, a leading businessman has said. |
David Dobbin, chief executive of Dale Farm, said his firm wanted to expand its plant at Cookstown, County Tyrone. | |
He said planning had been approved but the correct electricity and gas facilities were not in place. | He said planning had been approved but the correct electricity and gas facilities were not in place. |
He told the BBC's Inside Business show it was "frustrating" to be told to move the project east of the river Bann. | He told the BBC's Inside Business show it was "frustrating" to be told to move the project east of the river Bann. |
'Not enough capacity' | |
"We want to put a £40m investment into Cookstown. We've got Invest NI support, we've government support, we've got our planning - we can't go," Mr Dobbin told the programme. | "We want to put a £40m investment into Cookstown. We've got Invest NI support, we've government support, we've got our planning - we can't go," Mr Dobbin told the programme. |
"We're waiting now until gas comes, because the electricity [suppliers] can't help us." | "We're waiting now until gas comes, because the electricity [suppliers] can't help us." |
He said there was "not enough capacity in the grid to allow us to take more electricity". | |
Dale Farm is Northern Ireland's largest dairy business. | Dale Farm is Northern Ireland's largest dairy business. |
The company produces and sells a wide range of dairy products throughout the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to more than 45 other countries worldwide. | The company produces and sells a wide range of dairy products throughout the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to more than 45 other countries worldwide. |
'Valuable jobs' | |
Its goods include milk, cream, cheese, butter, dairy spreads, yogurts and desserts. | Its goods include milk, cream, cheese, butter, dairy spreads, yogurts and desserts. |
Mr Dobbin claimed Northern Ireland Electricity had suggested moving the Cookstown project to Ballymena, County Antrim, because there was "plenty of power there". | Mr Dobbin claimed Northern Ireland Electricity had suggested moving the Cookstown project to Ballymena, County Antrim, because there was "plenty of power there". |
"So that's saying 'move your investment from west of the [river] Bann to the east because that's where our generators and that's where our grid is'," Mr Dobbin said. | "So that's saying 'move your investment from west of the [river] Bann to the east because that's where our generators and that's where our grid is'," Mr Dobbin said. |
"Economically we want to develop the west of the province and we're there already and we're creating valuable jobs, so it's frustrating for us." | "Economically we want to develop the west of the province and we're there already and we're creating valuable jobs, so it's frustrating for us." |
'Compare the bills' | |
Mr Dobbin said Dale Farm was the fifth largest consumer of energy in Northern Ireland's private sector. | |
The firm operates five plants in Northern Ireland and a further three in Great Britain. | |
"We use lots of electricity, gas and oil, and if I compare the bills that we have for our five plants here, versus our three plants in Great Britain - one in Scotland, [one in] England and one in Wales - virtually all three of them are about 25 to 28% lower in electricity and they've got lower gas costs as well." | |
Dale Farm is part of the United Dairy Farmers Group, a UK dairy farmer co-operative. | Dale Farm is part of the United Dairy Farmers Group, a UK dairy farmer co-operative. |