A total of 22 jobs are going at Hunterston ‘A’ decommissioning station this year, it was confirmed at a site stakeholder’s group meeting.

The Largs and Millport Weekly News report due to decommissioning, the plant is downsizing its operation, in keeping with other sites being decommissioned around the UK, with Hunterston ‘A’ seeing an 8.1% reduction to its overall staff.

These figures are lower than the norm around Britain, with higher percentages at other sites. A total of 1,600 staff around the UK are being made redundant.

With new nuclear buildings being built south of the border, and other stations set to go into decommissioning north of the border in future years, questions were asked about a ‘skills shortage’ by Stuart McGhie, trade unions representative.

Hunterston ‘A’ station director Martin Graffton confirmed that Cavendish Fluor would look to integrate staff into the parent organisation to address the potential skills shortage. He added that the loss of 22 jobs was not a ‘huge number’ compared to other sites around the UK.

However, it was pointed out during the meeting that due to the downsizing at Hunterston over the decommissioning process, there would be fewer and fewer jobs at the site over the course of the following years until it was a case of ‘the last person to shut the gate’.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority also raised the issue of the final ‘end site’, and what particular uses that the area would have following the decommissioning. It was stated at the meeting that there may be particular land uses, but it would be the NDA who would determine what would be suitable for the site, with one suggestion being a potential solar farm.

The new NDA draft strategy stated: “Although it is helpful to assume a next land use when defining the site end state, we only have responsibility for defining the latter. The next land use will be defined by the next owner in accordance with the planning regimes and incorporating consultation with stakeholders as appropriate.

“However, to enable decommissioning and remediation to progress and offer greatest value for money, it is necessary to understand which land use or uses would be credible for our sites.

“Where a next use is identified, this may influence the priority and pace of site decommissioning and remediation to facilitate early re-use.”

Mr McGhie asked the NDA what specific uses could be explored come the end state, and officials stated that they could explore the options, and respond at the next meeting.

The site stakeholders group meetings are held quarterly and the public are welcome to attend.

Last week’s was held for the first time at West Kilbride Community Centre.