The End of an Era: UK's Last Coal-Fired Power Plant Shuts Down
On Monday, September 30, the United Kingdom will witness a significant milestone in its energy history—the shutdown of the last remaining coal-fired power plant. The Ratcliffe-on-Soar facility, located near Nottingham, will close its doors, marking the end of an era that began when the first coal-fired power plant was activated in 1882.
The Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant, which has been in operation since 1968, will see its final 170 workers in the control room, watching as the production units are officially decommissioned, with the event broadcasted live from the cafeteria.
Coal has historically been crucial for energy production, especially during the Industrial Revolution. However, it is also the most pollutive fossil fuel, releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary greenhouse gas driving climate change—along with various harmful substances impacting human health. Consequently, many countries, including Italy, are taking steps to phase out coal usage or transition to less polluting energy sources.
In 2016, the UK government committed to ending coal-fired energy generation by 2025. However, with the rising pressures from climate change and the UK’s role in global emissions, this timeline was accelerated, pushing the target forward to 2024 during preparations for the 2021 United Nations climate conference in Glasgow.
Originally, the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant was scheduled for late 2022. However, due to the energy crisis precipitated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, its closure was postponed. Following the shutdown, the decommissioning phase will begin on October 1, employing over 100 current workers during the process, which is expected to take two years. In collaboration with unions, Uniper, the plant's operator, has taken steps to relocate many of the other employees to different plants across the UK.
Meanwhile, Italy still operates four coal-fired power plants. Three of these are run by Enel, Italy's leading electricity producer: the Torrevaldaliga Nord plant in Civitavecchia, the Federico II plant in Brindisi, and the Grazia Deledda plant located in Southern Sardinia. The fourth, Fiume Santo, is operated by EP Produzione, part of the Czech energy group EPH.
While Italy has made strides in reducing its coal reliance—coal contributed to just over 5% of the nation's electricity in 2023—the usage of coal remains higher in other European countries. In Germany, for example, coal accounted for 27% of electricity generation this year. Despite significant reductions in coal consumption across Europe, globally, the fuel still dominates, with 35.5% of electricity generated from coal in 2023. China, India, the United States, and Japan collectively produce more than three-quarters of the world’s coal-derived electricity.
Historically, the UK has seen a dramatic shift in energy production. In the early 1980s, coal provided around 80% of the nation’s electricity. This proportion dipped below 40% by 2012 and is projected to reach zero following the closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar.
The first coal-fired power facility in the UK, initiated by the Edison Electric Light Company (now General Electric), opened in central London in January 1882, supplying power to street lamps. That initial plant ceased operations in 1886, and since then, the reliance on coal has been a steady narrative until the current deceleration.
As the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant shuts down, it heralds a crucial transformation in the UK’s energy landscape, signifying a move away from coal dependency and a commitment to cleaner energy sources to combat the urgent threat of climate change.
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