Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan has opened a new £1.2m centre in North Wales that will control hydro-electric and wind power plants across the whole of the UK.

The npower renewables UK operation centre at Dolgarrog will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week controlling plants from the northern tip of Scotland to the southern tip of Cornwall.

"The 20% target for renewable energy given to the UK by European Union is a challenging target, but it is achievable," the First Minister said, during the visit.

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"The decision we took last October to allow Forestry Commission managed land in Wales to be used for windfarm production is exactly the sort of choice that needs to be made. Wind energy is technology that can have a real impact on our renewable energy targets which is exactly why we want to encourage its use."

The Dolgattog centre will control over 450MW of wind and hydro-electric plants and over the next five years this figure will increase to almost 2,000MW as the UK moves towards reaching its renewable energy targets. The new centre represents a £1.2m capital investment in renewable energy in Wales.

(JM)