United Kingdom closes its last remaining coal power plant

The United Kingdom has marked a historic moment in its energy transition by shutting down the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in Nottinghamshire (East Midlands of England). It was the UK’s last remaining coal power plant.

Officials have described its closure as a “tremendously important milestone in the global route to decarbonization.” After decommissioning, the site will be demolished, which is set to take about two years.

Providing power for 57 years

Construction on the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station started in 1963, and the first unit became operational four years later. The plant has been producing energy since 1967. The last coal shipment took place on June 28th. The site, with eight conspicuous cooling towers, was seen as a landmark for residents in the region.

The world’s first coal power plant opened in London in 1882, and as recently as 2012, coal-powered 39% of the UK’s electricity supply. However, the UK predominantly replaced coal with wind and solar energy without increasing its reliance on gas.

Coal phase-out

The UK’s coal phase-out brought many benefits, reducing emissions and costs. According to calculations, replacing coal with wind and solar avoided an estimated £2.9 billion in costs.

The rapid decline in coal power since 2012 avoided 880 million tons of emissions, equivalent to more than double the UK’s total economy-wide emissions in 2023. The country is now targeting a fully decarbonized power system by 2030.

Climate goals

The UK’s last coal plant closure means that more than a third of OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) are now coal-free, with three-quarters expected to eliminate coal power by 2030. This aligns with global climate goals to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Coal now accounts for just 17% of electricity generation in OECD countries, down from 36% at its peak in 2007. The rapid growth in solar and wind was responsible for 87% of the fall in coal during this period.