The civil nuclear industry is worth £4.3bn to the North West economy and supports more than 57,000 jobs, according to a new study.

The Nuclear Industry Association’s (NIA) first ever Nuclear Activity Report found that the region is leading the way in a sector worth £6.4bn to the UK economy last year.

Cumbria is home to two of the major economic contributors, Sellafield and the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), who, together with Heysham power station, Urenco and Springfields, directly employ 28,435 people and support 57,400 jobs.

The data, gathered by Oxford Economics, also found that each nuclear sector employee contributes an average of £96,600 in gross value added (the measure of the value of goods and services produced), 73% higher than the UK average.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the NIA, said the figures reflected the importance of the sector, but urged the government and the industry

“For the first time we have comprehensive data which shows the important role the UK’s civil nuclear sector plays in generating highly skilled and well-paid jobs, making a significant contribution to the economy and supplying low carbon electricity to keep the lights on,” he said.

“The nature of the nuclear sector means it creates wealth and prosperity across the country – supporting families and non-nuclear businesses in areas where traditionally jobs have been hard to come by.

“But, with all but one of our nuclear power stations due to close in the period up to 2030, industry and government cannot be complacent. We need to build new nuclear power to replace the retiring stations and continue to make significant progress across decommissioning.”

The study found the industry supported £1 in every £50 of economic output for the region.

It highlighted the £200m of cost savings made at Sellafield as one of a number of major achievements for the industry in 2016. It also highlighted that Heysham’s two reactors generated 17.2 TWh of electricity in 2016 – enough to power 4.3m homes – making a significant contribution to nuclear remaining the largest single low carbon source of electricity in the UK.

Chairman of Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, Ivan Baldwin, who also works for NNL, said the findings reinforced Cumbria’s label as a Centre of Nuclear Excellence.

“Cumbria is definitely playing an important role in creating a low carbon economy for the UK,” he said.

“It is also a real boost to see evidence of the positive effects on the prosperity of the supply chain and communities around nuclear facilities – there’s more to be done on this but the figures for our area are encouraging.

“Given recent concerns around the Budget, it’s good to see just how productive the nuclear workforce has become in recent years. I think there’s a tremendous open attitude to new technologies in the nuclear sector and that runs right through the business cluster’s membership of local companies.”

The report was also welcomed by the union Unite, who said it was an opportune time for the UK to develop its own design of nuclear reactor.

Unite’s national officer for energy Kevin Coyne, said: “Such a reactor would prove significant in meeting our carbon emission targets, developing key export opportunities, and ensuring specialist skills and significant job opportunities for the future."