UK Shuts Down Last Coal Power Plant, Ending 242 Years of Coal Use

The closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant marks the UK's transition to a coal-free electricity grid, making it the first G7 country to achieve this milestone.

The Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, operational since 1968, was Britain’s last coal-fired plant and has now been permanently closed.
This closure signifies the end of coal-generated electricity in the UK, a country historically tied to coal since the Industrial Revolution.
Coal's share of the UK's overall energy production fell to 1% last year, with wind power contributing nearly 30% and natural gas 32%.
The UK government aims to create a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030, requiring increased reliance on wind, solar, and nuclear power.
Environmental groups celebrate this as a significant step in combating climate change, as coal-fired power plants accounted for around 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.