Overview

• The Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, operational since 1968, was Britain’s last coal-fired plant and has now been permanently closed.
• This closure signifies the end of coal-generated electricity in the UK, a country historically tied to coal since the Industrial Revolution.
• Coal's share of the UK's overall energy production fell to 1% last year, with wind power contributing nearly 30% and natural gas 32%.
• The UK government aims to create a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030, requiring increased reliance on wind, solar, and nuclear power.
• Environmental groups celebrate this as a significant step in combating climate change, as coal-fired power plants accounted for around 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.