In a significant blow to the workforce in Northern Ireland, energy giant SSE has announced the impending closure of its energy services division, leading to up to **55 potential job losses**. This decision stems from what the company describes as an extended period of **challenging trading**, evidenced by a staggering pre-tax loss of nearly **£2 million** in the most recent fiscal year, 2023-2024.
The SSE division that is closing provided crucial services such as **insulation** and the installation of **renewable heating technologies**. The company pointed to the **lack of a comprehensive home retrofitting scheme** by the Northern Ireland government as a major factor affecting its decision. Unlike their counterparts in the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, where substantial **government grants** support homeowners in upgrading their energy systems, Northern Ireland lacks a similar initiative.
In a formal statement, SSE stated: “The decision to consult with staff on the closure of the business follows several years of financial losses and a lack of progress in the development of **government policy supports** for home retrofitting.” This highlights the **disparity** in energy service support across the regions, as **major retrofit schemes** are already in place elsewhere.
Director of SSE Airtricity Energy Services, **Stuart Hobbs**, expressed his disappointment over the closure, emphasizing that it does not reflect the hard work and dedication of the employees. “SSE Airtricity Energy Services NI is not commercially sustainable in current market conditions,” he added. The company has initiated a consultation process with the affected staff and is open to considering **redeployment options** within the broader SSE framework if positions are available.
Despite this closure, SSE’s other operations in Northern Ireland, which include the supply of **electricity and gas**, employ an additional **275 people** and remain unaffected by these changes.
