The UK’s final coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, will cease operations today, 30th September, marking the end of over 140 years of coal-powered electricity generation in the country. The power station, located near Nottingham and owned by Uniper, began generating electricity in 1967. At midnight, it will officially stop coal generation, representing a major milestone in the UK’s shift toward cleaner energy sources.
As employees complete their final shifts, the closure marks the end of nearly six decades of service from the plant, which has been integral to the UK’s power supply. With a 2GW generation capacity, the station produced enough electricity to power two million homes and has been a recognizable feature of the East Midlands skyline, thanks to its eight towering 114-meter cooling towers.
Uniper CEO Michael Lewis reflected on Ratcliffe’s importance, stating, “Ratcliffe has always been more than just a power station. It has been a pillar of the UK’s energy security for decades, powering over two million homes and businesses—equivalent to the entire East Midlands region.” He noted that the plant’s closure marks the first time since 1882 that coal will no longer be used to power Great Britain. As Uniper looks toward the future, it aims to invest in cleaner technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS), renewables, and hydrogen to decarbonize its remaining power assets.
Michael Shanks, MP and Minister for Energy at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will visit Ratcliffe tomorrow to attend a closure event. During the visit, he will meet with employees, explore the plant’s history, and visit the iconic cooling towers, just hours after the station halts operations.
The countdown to Ratcliffe’s closure began in 2015, when the UK government announced its plans to phase out coal power by 2024. Since then, the station has seen many significant “last moments.” In January, all four of Ratcliffe’s 500MW units ran together for the final time, and in June, the last coal shipment arrived at the site from the port of Immingham, commemorated with a locomotive named “Ratcliffe Power Station.”
Peter O’Grady, Plant Manager, expressed mixed emotions about the closure: “It’s an emotional day for me and the team. When I began my career 36 years ago, none of us imagined a future without coal generation in our lifetimes. I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together over the years and to be part of this energy milestone as the country transitions to cleaner energy.”
For the 170 Uniper employees, the closure brings significant changes, as many have spent their entire careers at the plant. Some are retiring as the station shuts down, while others are being supported in finding redeployment opportunities within Uniper or leaving under redundancy packages.
Ratcliffe was the last coal plant standing in the UK due to significant investments in technical modifications. These advancements allowed the station to transition from providing consistent baseload power to more flexible generation, adjusting to the needs of the national grid. Ratcliffe was also the only UK coal-fired plant fitted with a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) facility, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 95%, and a Flue-Gas Desulphurization (FGD) system, which removed sulfur dioxide from its emissions.
After its closure, the site will undergo a two-year decommissioning process, with the eventual handover to a demolition contractor. Mike Lockett, Uniper’s UK Country Chair, expressed gratitude to all the employees who helped keep Ratcliffe running for 57 years, adding, “As we mark the end of coal generation for Uniper in the UK, we now look to what could be the future for the site.”
Key Facts About Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station:
- Located on a 270-hectare site near the East Midlands Parkway railway station.
- Employs around 350 Uniper colleagues and contractors, with up to 600 workers during outages.
- Construction began in 1963, with the first unit operational in 1967 and the final unit commissioned in 1970.
- Ratcliffe has a 2GW capacity, enough to power more than two million homes.
- Since 1967, the station produced enough energy to power more than 21 trillion cups of tea.
- The last coal shipment was delivered in June 2024, and over the years, the station received approximately 141,768 coal deliveries by rail.
- Ratcliffe’s eight cooling towers stand at 114 meters tall, with walls just seven inches thick, made of reinforced concrete.
- Decommissioning will commence in October 2024, involving the removal of hazards such as bulk-stored oils, chemicals, and byproducts.
As Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station closes, it leaves behind a legacy of reliable energy generation and significant contributions to the UK’s industrial history while making way for a new era of cleaner, flexible energy solutions.
