Vestas cuts jobs in Pueblo

Danish turbine maker Vestas said Monday it would lay off a portion of its workforce at Vestas Towers America plant in Pueblo.

The layoffs represented about 3 percent of its 3,000 employees in the United States and Canada, according to the company. The company did not reveal exact figures, but the reduction amounts to 90 employees.

Vestas blamed the layoffs on a market slowdown stemming from uncertainty about whether Congress will extend a wind tax credit.

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“Vestas has noted that many wind power jobs are at risk if Congress does not extend the (Production Tax Credit) – not only at Vestas, but also within the hundreds of domestic supply chain manufacturers that serve the wind industry in North America,” the company said.

The statement did not mention whether layoffs also might occur at its factories in Windsor and Brighton and a spokesman declined to comment further.

Monday’s layoffs followed a Vestas announcement earlier this year that it would lay off 2,335 people worldwide.

In that round of layoffs, Vestas cut a small number of jobs at Colorado locations, the spokesman said.

U.S. Sen. Mark Udall called the job cuts “disconcerting.”

“For months I have been calling on Congress to reauthorize the wind Production Tax Credit, which provides critical support to keep wind manufacturing jobs in Colorado and the United States,” Udall said in a statement. “Vestas’announcement today of its decision to lay off workers in Pueblo shows the real-life effect of Congress’ refusal to pass the wind PTC as soon as possible.”