American conglomerate General Electric’s subsidiary, GE Energy Power Conversion UK Limited, has applied to the city council for permission to convert the former HSS Hire building in Herbert Street in Portsmouth to support its ‘critical’ role operating naval vessels.
The company runs power systems for Type 45 Destroyers, Type 23 Frigates and the two aircraft carriers which convert electricity from the National Grid for use by the Royal Navy. This work powers the vessels and allows diesel generators to be switched off while they are berthed in Portsmouth.
GE Naval Service has a team of field service specialists based in Portsmouth to provide rapid and expert support to these vessels to ensure they remain in service and meet their readiness statuses. GE also has a number of engineering support and commercial staff whose roles are based in the Portsmouth area providing support to our customers in the naval sector.
The proposed Herbert Street hub would be utilised for personnel both based in Portsmouth and those travelling to Portsmouth to support naval ships. The application submitted to the council proposes a workshop area alongside traditional office space on a mezzanine floor.
Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson, Leader said, ‘It’s good to be on the radar of more and more bigger companies who clearly recognise what Portsmouth has to offer as a very economically-active place
‘We have a long history of high-skilled engineering jobs and these sorts of proposals only build on that.’
The application will be considered by council planning officers in the coming weeks.