Prospect negotiations officer Clive Scoggins called on local politicians to take action. He said: “The closure of AES Ballylumford and Kilroot power stations will have widespread impact on the local community.

"Losing hundreds more skilled jobs will be devastating to the Antrim area following redundancies at Bombardier, Gallahers, Michelin, Mivan, Schlumberger and Schrader Electronics over the last three years.

"The knock-on effect among the many suppliers and subcontractors to AES will also be huge, and there are wider ramifications for the region. As the largest rate payer in Mid & East Antrim, communities will be made poorer by the closure of generation units in Islandmagee and Carrickfergus.

“Local politicians must protect local power sector jobs and demand that the system operator and the utility regulator guarantee security of electricity supply for Northern Ireland until new generation and the second North-South interconnector are operational from late 2021.

“Prospect and our sister unions are working closely with AES to support our members through this devastating time and ensure the best possible outcome for them.”