New jobs for power station build

A business park is planned on 80 acres around the station

Hundreds of jobs are set to be created in Devon over the next 12 months as peak construction is carried out on a £400m power station.

The Centrica-run gas turbine power station at Langage near Plymouth is due for completion in 2009.

The plant will provide 885 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about a million homes, and employ about 800 workers during major construction.

A commissioning phase will take place before the plant becomes operational.

About 50 people will be employed on a full-time basis when the plant is operational.

The plant will have a 65m stack. Construction started in 2006 with about 300 workers and is increasing at the start of major work.

A business park is planned on 80 acres surrounding the station.

A new gas pipeline has also been approved to supply the power station. Centrica says the station will help stabilise UK power supplies amid predictions of shortfalls in the future.