THE closure of a North-East nuclear power station has damaged an energy firm’s profits.

EDF Energy says UK profits fell 25 per cent to £649m in 2014.

The company said a temporary shut down of reactors at its Hartlepool site, coupled with a £136m charge relating to lower values of gas generating and storage assets, hit results.

The company closed down Hartlepool in August last year after finding a fault in a boiler at a sister plant in Lancashire.

The factories were later brought back into service with reduced loads.

Vincent De Rivaz, chief executive, said: “Despite challenging market conditions, we have increased UK investment and customers will benefit with more low carbon electricity.”

The French-owned gas and electricity supplier also revealed its eight nuclear stations, which include bases in Somerset, Suffolk and Scotland, produced nearly seven per cent less power in the year, adding its UK residential business is now close to breaking even.

As well as its Hartlepool station, which the firm says employs more than 500 full-time workers, EDF operates a wind farm off the coast of Redcar, through its renewable division.

The 27-turbine Teesside wind farm was opened last year, with the firm saying it is capable of supplying electricity to about 40,000 homes.

Speaking to The Northern Echo at the time, Christian Egal, EDF Energy Renewables’ chief executive, said the site would be crucial in designing future projects, revealing it would support 15 maintenance jobs at Hartlepool.

He added: “The North-East is an important place for us and key to our work.

“The UK is the leading country in terms of offshore wind, and half of the capacity worldwide is from the UK.”