THE council leader has called for an urgent meeting following the announcement that Fiddlers Ferry power station could shut down most of its plant in April - putting up to 800 jobs at risk.

Owners SSE employs 213 men and women but there are hundreds more contractors including tradesmen, train drivers, technicians and bulldozer operators work at the site.

Council leader, Cllr Terry O’Neill, said the news came 'as a shock and surprise' and has called for a meeting with trade unions and senior management at SSE following the announcement last week.

He said: “We are seeking an urgent meeting with senior personnel at SSE to discuss the implications for Warrington employees, the risks to security of continued energy supplies, transport and other infrastructure issues, and the long-term future of the site.

“We will also seek to work with the site’s trade unions to understand the impact of the proposals and protect jobs and livelihoods.”

SSE stated last week that its decision was due to 'continuing challenging economic and environmental conditions for coal'.

Unions have blasted the decision as ‘another nail in the coffin of King Coal’ and fear blackouts.

SSE is consulting with employees, MPs, unions and stakeholders on plans to close three of the plant’s four units and cannot rule out compulsory redundancies.

Unite regional officer Graham Williams said: “Workers are devastated but are also angry at the lack of joined-up thinking with regards to the government’s energy policy.

“If the government were prepared to pay the proper rate for electricity this would be a small price to pay to keep this workforce in employment.”

Paul Smith, SSE managing director, generation, at Fiddlers Ferry said: “We are fully aware of the impact this will have on our colleagues, their families and the community and our priority is to support staff during the consultation process.

“The reality is the station is ageing, its method of generating electricity is being rendered out of date and it has been and it expected to continue to be loss-making in the years ahead.”

Fiddlers Ferry failed to secure a contract to provide electricity in 2019/20 in the recent capacity market auction in December 2015.

Three of its four units won a contract with the National Grid to provide back-up power for next winter.

SSE is prepared to incur a penalty of around £33 million if it breaches agreements.