Wind power giant Vestas has announced it’s laying off workers at its Pueblo facility. Vestas would not provide an exact number, but did say that the job reduction represents about three percent of its total US and Canadian workforce. The plant had employed some 400 people making towers for wind turbines. In total, about 1700 Coloradans worked at the four Vestas plants in the state, and the company says they’re not making significant employment decisions at their other three Colorado facilities today.
Vestas points to a slowdown in the wind power market due to uncertainty about whether congress will extend tax credits for wind energy producers. Last week President Obama mentioned his support for extending the tax credits during a campaign stop in Pueblo. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he’d allow the wind tax credits to expire.
