MENA Newswire News Desk: Britain’s last coal-fired power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, closed on Monday, marking the end of 142 years of coal-powered electricity in the country that ignited the Industrial Revolution. The plant, located in central England, officially ceased operations at midnight, symbolizing a pivotal moment in the U.K. government push towards renewable energy.
The closure comes as the U.K. government continues its efforts to generate 100% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2030. Plant manager Peter O’Grady, described the day as “emotional,” recalling how unimaginable it once was to envision a coal-free energy future. “When I started my career 36 years ago, none of us could foresee this day coming,” O’Grady said.
The end of Ratcliffe-on-Soar’s operations makes Britain the first major economy from the G7 to phase out coal, although several European countries, such as Sweden and Belgium, reached this milestone earlier. Uniper, the company operating the plant, confirmed that most of the 170 remaining employees will remain onboard during the two-year decommissioning process.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks, praised the milestone as a significant achievement in the nation’s energy transition. “This marks the end of an era, but a new chapter of clean energy jobs is just beginning,” Shanks said, adding that generations of coal workers “deserve the nation’s gratitude for powering the country for over a century.”
At its height, coal fueled nearly 80% of Britain’s electricity in the 1990s. According to National Grid, coal accounted for just 1% of the country’s electricity by 2023, replaced largely by renewable sources such as wind and solar power. Today, over half of Britain’s electricity comes from clean energy, supplemented by natural gas and nuclear power.
Dhara Vyas, deputy chief executive of Energy UK, hailed the rapid transition to renewables as “an incredible achievement.” She noted, “Just ten years ago, coal generated a third of our electricity. Few could have predicted such a dramatic shift.” The shutdown also recalls the fraught history of coal in Britain, particularly the year-long miners’ strike in 1984.
Despite the end of coal generation, debates continue around coal mining. A proposed coal mine in northwest England was recently blocked by the High Court, citing environmental concerns. Ratcliffe-on-Soar’s closure coincides with the shutdown of the last blast furnace at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant in Wales, further signaling the decline of coal-based industries in the U.K. Nearly 2,000 jobs will be lost as the plant transitions to cleaner electric furnaces, in line with the government’s broader climate objectives.