A leading figure at the University of Cumbria has called on the Government to give its “full support” to the Moorside nuclear development in this week’s Autumn Budget.

Professor Andy Gale, the University of Cumbria’s director of industrial strategy, said Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond should “do the right thing” and back the £10bn project to build a brand new nuclear power station in west Cumbria.

Both the Nuclear Industry Association and John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, have demanded that the Government takes a stake in the project, which will boost Cumbria’s economy and generate 7% of the UK’s energy needs.

The peak workforce during construction is estimated to be 6,500. Once operational the plant, situated on land adjacent to Sellafield, will employ around 1,000 people.

Mr Gale said: “The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, should do the right thing and put the full weight of government behind the £10bn Moorside Megaproject. This would be a game changer for Cumbria and the whole country, come to that.

“It is very important that the region is able to retain these incoming skills and the economic benefits that their presence will bring. Also, the infrastructure required, to enable the project, can be intelligently designed to add real value to quality of life in the community.”

Highlighting the recent Nuclear Decommissioning Authority award for the University’s collaboration with Sellafield to develop project management skills, Mr Gale stressed the importance of the education sector to supporting the project, which is to be delivered by NuGen.

“Education has a crucial role to play in this, at all levels: from nursery, through primary, secondary, further and higher education.,” he continued.

“As an anchor institution, the University of Cumbria makes an important contribution to higher level skills, social cohesion and infrastructure. Not only is the university leading, with the Further Education community, on the Government’s apprenticeship agenda, fuelled by the new Apprenticeship Levy, the institution is working closely with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, employers, schools, NHS, and councils to strengthen the region’s Industrial Strategy.”

Mr Gale’s call comes ahead of the Autumn Budget on Wednesday, but follows calls made by the NIA and Mr Woodcock for the Government to help reduce the huge capital costs relating to nuclear new build projects. The GMB union has also made repeated calls for the Government to take a stake in the project to ensure its delivery.

NuGen and its shareholder Toshiba have been exploring a range of options to fund the project. These include Toshiba selling some or all its shares after then subsidiary Westinghouse Electric – due to supply three AP1000 reactors to Moorside – filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US having overpaid by several billion dollars for another nuclear construction and services business.

The chief executive of Korea Electric Power Corporation recently revealed the state-owned company was in “working-level” talks with Toshiba to buy a stake in the Moorside development. China General Nuclear Power Corporation has also expressed an interest in the project.