HUNDREDS of jobs at a power station have been secured after the decision was taken to keep it open for an extra five years.
The Tees Road power station, Hartlepool's second biggest employer with 456 staff, has been told it can continue to operate until 2014.
Hartlepool power station was due to close in 2009, but following a review of the business by experts from the industry it has been given an extension to its operation licence.
A team at the power station had been working over the past months to meet standards set to allow the extended licence to be granted.
Station director Peter Webster said: "This life extension is good news for British Energy, good news for the power station and good news for Hartlepool."
Work was started to build the power station in 1968 and it first provided electricity to the National Grid in 1983.
Once the power station is closed in 2014 there will be a lengthy decommissioning process which will retain some staff on the plant
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