List of active coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom

There are currently four active coal-fired power stations operating in the United Kingdom which have a total generating capacity of 5.8GW.

Phase-out of coal in the United Kingdom

In November 2015, it was announced by the UK Government that all the remaining fourteen coal-fired power stations would be closed by 2025.[1] In February 2020 the UK government said that it would consult on bringing the closure date forward to 2024.[2][3] The consultation was launched in December 2020 and will close on 26 February 2021.[4]

Ironbridge ceased operations in late 2015. In 2016, three power stations closed at Rugeley, Ferrybridge and Longannet. Eggborough closed in 2018 and was granted consent to convert into a gas fired power station. Lynemouth power station converted to biomass in 2018 and Uskmouth is being converted to an energy from waste plant. Cottam and Aberthaw shut down operations in 2019[5] and Fiddlers Ferry closed in 2020.[6] Drax will stop burning coal in 2021.[7]

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 UK had a 24-hour period without any generation from coal power.[8] In May 2019 the UK went its first full week without any coal power.[9] In May 2020 the UK beat the previous record and did not use coal generation for over a month.[10]

At present, the use of coal power is decreasing to historic lows not seen since before the Industrial Revolution. Coal supplied 1.6% of UK electricity in 2020,[11] down from 30% in 2014.[12] 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.[13]

List of active power stations
Name Location Owner Date Commissioned Planned Closure Date Total capacity (GW) CO2 Mt (2014) Notes Image
Drax Units 5 & 6North YorkshireDrax Group1986[14]March 2021[7] (Note: Coal generation will remain available until September 2022)1.2916.60Units 1–4 burn biomass[15] with plan to convert the remaining two coal units to gas, plus battery storage, by 2023.[16]
West Burton ANottinghamshireEDF Energy1967[17]September 2021[18]2.009.21
KilrootCounty AntrimEPH1981[17]20230.522.15To be converted to natural gas in time for 2023 capacity market. Kilroot is not on the UK National Grid network.[19][20]
Ratcliffe on SoarNottinghamshireUniper1968[17]20242.009.22

See also

References
  1. Gosden, Emily (18 November 2015). "UK coal plants must close by 2025, Amber Rudd announces". The Independent. London. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  2. "End of coal power to be brought forward in drive towards net zero". Gov UK. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  3. "Plans to bring coal phase-out date forward to 2024 unveiled". Current.
  4. "Early phase out of unabated coal generation in Great Britain". Gov UK. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. Clowes, Ed (11 December 2019). "Wales last coal power plant to go dark on Friday". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  6. "Fiddler's Ferry: Coal-fired power station closes after 50 years".
  7. "Drax power station to cease burning coal in March 2021". February 27, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. "British power generation achieves first ever coal-free day". The Guardian. London. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  9. "Britain passes one week without coal power for first time since 1882". The Guardian. London. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  10. "Britain hits coal-free month milestone as demand remains low". Current News. London. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  11. Reuters Staff (January 11, 2021). "Britain sees greenest year for electricity in 2020 – National Grid" – via www.reuters.com.
  12. Evans, Simon (10 February 2016). "Countdown to 2025: Tracking the UK coal phase out". Carbon Brief. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  13. "Last 12 months – MyGridGB".
  14. "Drax Power Station, Cleanest And Most Efficient Coal-Fired Power Station In the United Kingdom". powertechnology.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  15. "Fourth biomass unit conversion – Drax". 17 January 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  16. "More local events to discuss gas and battery project – Drax". Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  17. "Power Stations in the United Kingdom (operational at the end of May 2004)" (PDF). Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  18. "EDF to review UK coal plant West Burton's future after Sep 2021 | S&P Global Platts". www.spglobal.com. April 20, 2020.
  19. "Kilroot to become gas-fired power station". BBC. 6 May 2020.
  20. "Kilroot power station owner wins major supply contracts". Belfast Telegraph.
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