The UK closed its last coal-fired power plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, marking the end of a 142-year reliance on coal. The UK, the first country to build a coal-fired power station, has now become the largest economy to exit coal power. This closure represents a significant milestone in the nation's transition to renewable energy, as the focus shifts towards cleaner, more sustainable alternatives.

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At its peak in 1913, the UK had 250 operational CFPPs and employed 1.2 million people in the coal industry. In the1960s, nearly 90% of UK’s electricity was generated by coal burning. The UK ended a 142-year era by closing its last CFPP, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, in September 2024,converting it to battery energy storage systems (BESS). The plant had a capacity of 2,000 GW, which was enough energy to power 2 million homes, it is estimated to have a 150 MW capacity after BESS conversion. All other UK CFPPs have been demolished or converted to gas/biomass burners.  The UK government created legislation in 2015to end coal burning in 2025 and has closed or converted its last remaining 12CFPPs in this decade.

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However, the full transition has realistically taken around four decades since the closure of the mines in the1980s, which caused strikes, riots and severe economic deprivation. Towns lost mining jobs which had been held for generations, and communities collapsed. European coal mines and CFPPs currently employ over 200,000 people, so what should be done with these people’s jobs, for example as coal is phased out? And how to accommodate for the rising demands for electricity without associated GHG emissions?

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Retired coal plant sites such as this can still be valuable assets if used correctly. The grid connection alone can be invaluable if the site were to be repowered through one of multiple pathways including for thermal energy storage, nuclear power, or grid balancing services.

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The Repower Initiative, and RepowerScore aims to highlight the potential uses of coal plants of all ages in decarbonising our energy grids.

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