The impact of Longannet power station’s closure will be felt across Scotland and beyond with 236 direct jobs being lost when ScottishPower’s Kincardine plant closes in March.
The ripple effect could hit thousands further down the supply chain, many of whom rely on the 46-year-old plant for work.
Fife Council’s economic development service manager George Sneddon said “the impact on the supply chain is extensive. That impact is being felt all across Scotland and beyond.”
Some 65 port jobs handling imported coal bound for Longannet orHunterston are at risk, as are 20 rail freight drivers.
Mr Sneddon said the impact onScotland’s coal industry would be severe as nearly all opencast coal mined inScotland goes to Longannet.
Of the 236 ScottishPower employees it is estimated around half wouldtake voluntary redundancy or early retirement with the remainderredeployed or finding alternative work.
Local councillor and Longannet worker Willie Ferguson said: “We need to see the bigger picture, it is not just 236 jobs.
“For example, the purchasingdepartment in Glasgow, which buys coal from all over the world their jobs are at risk.
Estimates are that a total of 1,050 jobs in the supply chain will be affected.
But Mr Ferguson estimated the figure could actually be much, much greater.
“There are road hauliers, there are companies like ScotAsh.There are bed and breakfastowners.
“I fear they are not going to get picked up in the survey because no-one knows about them.”
Award-winning fuel ash recycling firm ScotAsh, has been largelydependent on Longannet for supplies.
Around 180 firms across Scotland are being helped to secure the future, retain jobs and find new customers.
Fife is working with colleagues in other local authorities to look at setting up a community regeneration fund to attract businesses and support business growth.
“The major issue is there is little in the way of business premises or support for entrepreneurship and council working with Business Gateway on that,” said Mr Sneddon.
Mr Ferguson said there were “back garden” industries “screaming out for industrial units” and supplying business premises could help mitigate the jobs blow.
At a conservative estimate Longannet contributes about £50 million a year to the local economy.
The council’s economy spokeswoman, Councillor Lesley Laird, saidthe plant’s was more complex and far reaching than the closure of TullisRussell.