In 1882, Britain opened the world’s first public coal-fired power station at London’s Holborn Viaduct. Fast-forward to 2024, and the United Kingdom is one of the first countries to shut down coal-fired power plants, ending 142 years of coal-generated electricity in the country that sparked the Industrial Revolution.
The last coal plant in the UK, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, finished operations at midnight on Monday after powering the UK since 1967.
Green campaigners applaud the move, which they say is a step closer to reducing the country’s carbon emissions.
The United Kingdom’s government has hailed the closure as a milestone in efforts to generate all of Britain’s energy from renewable sources by 2030.
“Today’s closure at Ratcliffe marks the end of an era, and coal workers can be rightly proud of their work powering our country for over 140 years. We owe generations a debt of gratitude as a country,” the report quoted Michael Shanks, the minister for energy, as saying.
According to reports, the 170 remaining staff at the power plant were invited to the canteen to witness the live stream showing the moment its generating units were shut down for the last time.
It was an emotional day for the employees of the power plant. Plant manager Peter O’Grady said, “When I started my career 36 years ago, none of us imaged a future without coal generation in our lifetimes. I am incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together over the years and to be part of this energy milestone, as the country focuses on a cleaner energy future,” he said to the Associated Press news agency.
Talks about shutting down Ratcliffe’s power plant began in 2015 when the UK government announced plans to end coal power generation. In 2020, the government confirmed the end date of October 2024.
Reports suggested that compared to 80% of the UK’s electricity, power generated from coal fell to 40% in 2012. It has also fallen significantly in the last 10 years amid high carbon taxes and the rise of cheaper renewables.
Michael Shanks was quoted in the media as saying, “The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning.”
