A consultation on plans for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston in Ayrshire is set to end this week.

Ayrshire Power wants to build the controversial plant with experimental carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at the site, but up to 20,000 campaigners have claimed the plant would harm wildlife and the local environment.

Peel Energy Ltd owned company submitted proposals for a site between the existing Clydeport coal handling facility at the Hunterston Terminal, and the Hunterston B nuclear power plant.

Providing the technology can be proven, by using CCS, damaging carbon emissions would be captured, turned into liquid and stored underground on site.

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The energy company also claimed the new power station would generate a "significant" number of jobs in the area, with up to 1,600 people being employed during construction and another 160 in permanent jobs when the power station is completed.

Project manager for Ayrshire Power, Mike Claydon, said: "The Ayrshire Power project is consistent with UK and Scottish government policy to have a balanced portfolio of low carbon electricity generating capacity which includes coal with Carbon Capture and Storage.

"The Ayrshire Power project represents significant economic opportunities for Scotland and North Ayrshire.

"Ayrshire Power is pleased that many local people took time to attend the recent public exhibitions held in Largs and Millport to learn more about the Hunterston CCS project.

"While there may have been a large number of individual objections to the project we believe a significant proportion of these objections came from people who do not even live in Europe, never mind Scotland.

"It is almost certainly the case therefore that they have little understanding of the Ayrshire Power proposals for Hunterston to which they object."

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(JG/CD)