THE company building a new nuclear power station in Cumbria insists Toshiba "remains committed" to the multi billion-pound project in spite of doubts arising as the Japanese giant revealed a huge loss.

NuGen said the planned new plant at Moorside was at the core of the UK's plans for providing safe, sustainable low-carbon electricity for generations to come.

Toshiba chairman Shigenori Shiga announced he was stepping down after the company said it was on track to announce losses of 390bn yen (£2.7 billion) for the year to March.

The move left UK unions voicing concern about the future of the planned £10 billion nuclear plant at Moorside.

Toshiba, which has a 60 per cent stake in NuGen, the company planning to build the site, said in a statement: "Toshiba will consider participating in the project without taking on any risk from carrying out actual construction work. As planned from the beginning, Toshiba will seek to sell the shares to interested parties."