There is currently one active coal-fired power station operating in the United Kingdom, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire.[1] It has a total generating capacity of 2 GW; however one unit has been put into a preservation state prior to the plant's decommissioning and the owner has submitted market data indicating that a second unit is not expected to run again, thereby reducing the generating capacity to 1 GW.
In November 2015, the UK Government announced that all the remaining fourteen coal-fired power stations would be closed by 2025.[2] In November 2017 the UK Government co-founded the Powering Past Coal Alliance. In June 2021, the government said it would end coal power by October 2024.[3] [4]
| Ironbridge | Late 2015 | ||
| Rugeley Ferrybridge Longannet | 2016 | ||
| Eggborough | 2018 | Was granted consent to convert into a gas fired power station. | |
| Lynemouth | 2018 | Converted to biomass | |
| Uskmouth | 2017 | ||
| Cottam Aberthaw | 2019 | [5] | |
| Fiddlers Ferry | 2020 | [6] | |
| Drax | March 2021 | Stopped burning coal.[7] | |
| West Burton A Kilroot | 2023 | [8] [9] |
The United Kingdom had continuously burned coal for the generation of electricity since the opening of Holborn Viaduct power station in 1882. On 21 April 2017, for the first time since 1882, the GB grid had a 24-hour period without any generation from coal power.[10] In May 2019 the GB grid went its first full week without any coal power.[11] In May 2020 the GB grid beat the previous record and did not use coal generation for over a month.[12]
At present, the use of coal power is decreasing to historic lows not seen since before the Industrial Revolution. Coal supplied just over 1% of UK electricity in 2023,[13] down from 30% in 2014.[14] In 2020, coal produced 4.4 TWh of electricity and Britain went 5,202 hours free from coal electricity generation, up from 3,665 hours in 2019 and 1,856 in 2018.[15]