A RETIRED Hunterston worker says an increase in power cuts locally is a 'real possibility' when the station shuts.


Hunterston is scheduled to close in nine months time and fears are growing that blackouts will become more commonplace as a result.
Hunterston B is capable of supplying electricity to approximately 1.7 million UK homes but will be switched off as go into a period of decommissioning.
Fairlie Community Council members were recently addressed by Alan Holden, a retired Hunterston, worker on the issue.
He said: "A large part of what we use in the UK comes from gas-fired or nuclear power stations and wind turbines - and if we run out of those, we run out of electricity.
"It is more accurate to say when will we have blackouts in future - not if."
With Hunterston B set to close on January 7 next year, villager Jackie Pearson asked what the limits are currently in relation to the number of reactor cracks.
Rita Holmes, who chairs the Hunterston Site Stakeholders Group, said: "I believe the damage tolerance level is around 1,331 cracks and the last time it was recorded it was up near the 700 mark."
Independent councillor Ian Murdoch said: "The man who designed the reactor said that the cracks limit should be 70, then it was increased to 350, 700 and then 1,300.I think that tells its own story but it won't be producing electricity as of January 7 2022 and I'm satisfied with that."