Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station will close its doors today

"Ratcliffe powered over two million homes and businesses—equivalent to the entire East Midlands region."

The UK’s last coal-fired power station will close its doors for the final time today (30th September).

Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, near Nottingham, will officially end generation at midnight.

Michael Lewis the CEO at Uniper, said: "For me, Ratcliffe has always been more than just a power station—it has been a pillar of the UK's energy security for decades. Built during a time when coal was the backbone of industrial progress, Ratcliffe powered over two million homes and businesses—equivalent to the entire East Midlands region. It played a crucial role in boosting economic growth and supporting the livelihoods of thousands of people. This will be the first time since 1882 that coal has not powered Great Britain. As we close this chapter, we honor Ratcliffe’s legacy and the people working here, while embracing the future of cleaner and flexible energy. In this context, Uniper aims to invest in technologies like CCS, Renewables and hydrogen. The goal is to decarbonise our remaining power assets and to deliver low carbon fuel as well as green and reliable energy to our customers."

In 2015 the Government announced plans to end UK coal power generation over the next decade and in 2020 it was confirmed that the site would close in 2024.

Ratcliffe occupies a site of approximately 270ha on the A453 adjacent to the East Midlands Parkway railway station. 

Peter O'Grady, Plant Manager at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, said “It is an emotional day for me as well as for the team. When I started my career 36 years ago, none of us imaged a future without coal generation in our lifetimes. I am incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together over the years and to be part of this energy milestone as the country focuses on a cleaner energy future."