UK Shuts Down Last Coal-Fired Power Plant, Marking Historic Milestone

The closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant ends 142 years of coal power in the UK, advancing the nation's climate goals.

The Ratcliffe-on-Soar power plant in Nottinghamshire, operational since 1967, has been closed, ending coal-generated power in the UK.
The plant's closure is a significant step towards the UK's climate targets, including net-zero emissions by 2050 and decarbonizing the power sector by 2030.
Uniper, the company that owns the plant, plans to transform the site into a low-carbon energy hub with options for advanced manufacturing and energy storage.
The UK, which relied on coal for around 80% of its electricity in 1990, now sources nearly 35% of its energy from gas and 33% from wind and solar.
The decommissioning process will take approximately two years, with some of the 170 employees staying on to assist while others retire or take voluntary redundancy.