French power giant EDF has given Alex Salmond assurances that it will remain committed to Scotland after its takeover of nuclear company British Energy.

The assurance came when First Minister had talks in June with EDF, a Scottish Government spokesman said.

British Energy's headquarters are in East Kilbride and two of its eight nuclear power stations, Hunterston and Torness, are located in Scotland.

The spokesman for Mr Salmond said: "We welcome the commitment by EDF to East Kilbride and to Scotland.

"That commitment is to maintain offices in East Kilbride."

He said Mr Salmond had met EDF chief executive Vincent de Rivas in June to discuss the potential deal.

"He emphasised the Scottish Government's opposition to new nuclear stations but also pressed for an assurance by EDF about the East Kilbride facility," he said.

Enterprise minister Jim Mather wrote to UK Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks in May asking that any takeover talks took "strong account" of the effect on the firm's Scottish headquarters.

French utility giant today sealed a £12.5 billion deal to buy British Energy and confirmed plans to build four new reactors in the UK.

British Gas parent Centrica is also in talks to buy a 25% stake in the new British Energy (BE) and secure a power-sharing arrangement once the takeover is complete.

The Government hailed the deal as a milestone for the UK's energy sector, with BE's sale set to kick-start its nuclear power strategy.

EDF - majority-owned by the French government and the world's biggest nuclear power provider - said it wanted to construct and operate two reactors each at existing BE sites at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk.

The reactors have the potential to generate electricity to meet more than 13% of the UK's forecasted energy demand by the early 2020s, saving more than 14 million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year, according to the Government.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed news of the takeover as "good value for the taxpayer and a significant step towards the construction of a new generation of nuclear stations".

He added: "Nuclear is clean, secure and affordable. Its expansion is crucial for Britain's long-term energy security, as we reduce our oil dependence and move towards a low-carbon future."

The deal, which is one of the largest ever direct foreign investments in Britain, will see EDF pay 774p a share - 9p higher than the price offered in July, which was rejected as too low by major British Energy shareholders.

It will also allow the UK Government to bank a multibillion-pound windfall from its 36% stake in the firm.

But the Government has stressed that it wants other players in Britain's nuclear power industry and EDF has agreed to sell BE-owned land to other potential nuclear operators should its new reactors receive the all-clear.

The agreement covers land surrounding the sites at Bradwell, Essex, and either Dungeness or Heysham.

British Energy employs 6,000 staff and produces around a sixth of the UK's electricity.

Unions welcomed today's announcement and the prospect of new jobs being created in the nuclear industry.

Gary Smith, national officer of the GMB union, which represents thousands of workers in the nuclear industry, said: "At long last, one of the pieces is in place to secure an energy future for Britain.

"We look forward to having a constructive dialogue with EDF regarding the building of much-needed nuclear facilities on British Energy sites."

Dougie Rooney, national officer of Unite, added: "We welcome the end of a long sales process. EDF was the only potential purchaser. Our job now is to ensure that EDF keeps the existing plants open and maintain or improve investment."

British Energy chairman Sir Adrian Montague said his company spent the last six weeks working with EDF to secure the new terms and seal a deal.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This new transaction is regarded by the board as good for the shareholders, good for our staff, good for the nuclear industry and also good for the country.

"In the short term I think you will find a stronger supplier of energy in the UK as we bring together British Energy's generating capability with EDF's strength of the supply business.

EDF said both the Government and British Energy's largest shareholder, Invesco, had given their backing for the offer.

It is understood that the July offer from EDF was scuppered by opposition from institutional investors such as Invesco, which owns a 14.9% stake and is said to have argued that the price undervalued BE at a time when the value of energy assets was rising.

Oil's slide from July's 147 US dollar peak is thought likely to have persuaded some investors to be more flexible over price demands.

But the deal will need the approval of remaining shareholders, including institutional investor M&G.

Should shareholders and regulators give EDF's takeover the green light, the sale is expected to go through by the end of this year or early next year.

EDF plans to build longer-lasting EPR reactors in the UK, which are a type of pressurised water reactor, similar to those already in operation in nuclear industry-reliant France.

They are believed to last for 60 years compared with the normal 40-year lifespan.

Centrica said it was hoping to take part in EDF's new nuclear builds in the UK under negotiations to take an investment in the new BE.

It is also looking to secure a deal to take at least 25% of the energy output from BE's existing fleet of stations.

Its eight nuclear power stations are Hunterston B in Ayrshire, Torness in East Lothian, Dungeness B in Kent, Hartlepool, Heysham 1 and 2 in Lancashire, Hinkley Point B in Somerset and Sizewell B in Suffolk.

The group also owns a coal-fired power station at Eggborough, North Yorkshire.