| First Solar Lays Off About 240 A startling 244 workers could have been laid off, or 'furloughed' from First Solar's Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One (AVSR1), according to figures compiled from official spokespersons and many sources concerned about what appears to be a "dig in the heels" spat between AVSR1 management and Los Angeles County building inspectors. County installations. First Solar's cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film modules are not UL certified. Showing visible irritation with L. AVSR1 is based in the western Antelope Valley, on about 2,100 acres near 170th Street West in the area straddling Neenach and Fairmont, adjacent to Highway 138 (also known locally as Avenue D). AVSR1 was sold to Exelon Inc. The term "micro-local" refers to residents who are neighbors to the plant living less than 30 miles awayed in Lancaster] and the layoffs for First Solar May 25. But electricians say that of an estimated 102 from their union who were working at the site this year, only about 23 are left on the job. County reported. "First Solar denied the electrical inspector access to these [equipment] shelters that need to be inspected. Another allegation circulating among workers is that a restraining order was placed against a former AVSR1 construction manager (with an extremely hefty build) due to a scuffle with a county inspector over the report that AVSR1 isn't using Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved components on their photovoltaic modules. We were told this by our supervisor. It has affected me and my fellow electricians," he said, asking that his name not be used, to protect his employment. We still have guys putting in the power transfer station and lots of water trucks. County inspectors, AVSR1 Project Director Anthony Perrino claimed in a community meeting in early May that utility-scale facilities are not mandated to use UL certified components and that "this problem has not come up at any other site in California, other states, Canada or Europe. "We're not focusing solely on the UL approval issue," Lee said, "Our focus is on compliance with the health and safety standards of Los Angeles County. "I do not have a breakdown, but it will mostly be the people who are structural steel guys being handled by CLP [the Van Nuys-based labor contractor, CLP Resources, Inc. But just after the first quarter of 2012 the company fell into what is now a 2. As of yesterday (Tuesday, May 29) we had not received the documents required to move forward with the permitting [process]. |
Sunday 3 June 2012
First Solar Lays Off About 240
