NUCLEAR energy will be produced in North Ayrshire during the next decade after it was announced the lifetime of Hunterston B power station is to be extended by five years.

British Energy announced it has completed the necessary technical and economic evaluation that will see the plant, one of the area"s largest employers, continue operating until at least 2016.

Station director Tom Ungi, said: 'This is great news for all of us at Hunterston B and for everyone in the local North Ayrshire community.

'The decision means we can continue to provide highly skilled jobs and bring major investment to the area.' The station employs around 520 full time staff, as well as 150 full time staff from contract partners and brings in an estimated £55m a year to the local economy.

The station generates sufficient electricity to supply almost half the households in Scotland.

During its working life so far the station has saved around 140 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Trades union, Amicus, representative Stuart McGhie, said that staff are delighted with the news.

THE decision to extend the life of Hunterston will protect hundreds of jobs - at least until 2016.

However, the longer term future for Hunterston would be closure under and SNP Government in Scotland.

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson told The Herald: 'Workers at the plant now know their jobs are safe for at least another nine years, when Hunterston B will reach the end of its productive life.

'Subsequent to any closure there would, of course, be decommissioning jobs for decades to come; some 50 per cent more in the case of Dounreay, but they will be different jobs, possibly for different people.' The MSP said that his party do not support nuclear power stations at Hunterston or anywhere else in Scotland due to the cost of decommissioning making them 'uneconomic'.

'The good news that Hunterston will be around for years will allow more time for improved renewable technologies to be developed, tested and come on stream,' MSP Gibson told The Herald.