AES have stated they will “enter into consultation” with union representatives about job losses.
“Foremost, my thoughts are with all those workers who will be affected by this process. My colleague Stephen Farry MLA and I have met several times with management of AES regarding the future of both sites, and we will be seeking to meet them again urgently so workers know precisely what is happening,” said Mr Dickson.
“Unfortunately, it appears this situation will result in job losses for people in East Antrim, despite Kilroot effectively being thrown a lifeline after initial talk of its closure. There also remains a wide range of questions to be answered regarding the future of the power supply for Northern Ireland.
“There is a skilled workforce employed across the two plants. While some will no doubt take the opportunity to retire, some may have to move and others will have to find alternative employment. I will also be pressing AES to assist workers in whatever way possible with skills audits and retraining.”