The UK planned to phase out coal fired power stations by 2025. This goal was achieved on 30th September 2024 when Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station, the UKs last coal fired power station was de-synced from the National Grid for the last time. The map above shows all the plants that have closed or been converted to biomass since the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) came into force in 2008.
List of remaining coal power plants in the UK
There are now 0 remaining coal-fired power station in the UK
You can read more about the UK’s phase-out of coal on Carbon Brief’s Countdown to 2025: Tracking the UK coal phase outÂ
Timeline of closures since LCPD
Issued in October 2001, the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) aimed to reduce carbon emissions throughout Europe. The deadline of 1st January 2008 allowed plants that did not comply with the strict emission limits to opt-out, whereby they could operate for a further 20,000 hours or until 2015 at which point they had to close.
Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) announced
October 2001
The Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) announced, stating emissions limits that will be imposed on large carbon emitters.
LCPD Start Date
January 2008
LCPD comes into effect (for plants built before 1987), non compliant plants could opt-out, whereby they could operate for a further 20,000 hours until 2015 at which point they have to close.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 21
Grain Power Station Closed
December 2012
1,300 MW Grain oil-fired power plant in Kent closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 20
Kingsnorth Power Station Closed
December 2012
1,940 MW Kingsnorth power plant in Kent closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 19
Cockenzie Power Station Closed
March 2013
1,152 MW Cockenzie power plant in East Lothian, Scotland closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 18
Didcot A Power Station Closed
March 2013
1,958 MW Didcot A power plant in Oxfordshire closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 17
Fawley Power Station Closed
March 2013
2,000 MW Fawley oil-fired power plant in Southampton closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 16
Tilbury B Power Station Closed
Uskmouth B Power Station Closed Pending Biomass Conversion
April 2014
363 MW Uskmouth B power plant in Newport, Wales closed pending conversion to biomass.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 14
Littlebrook D Power Station Closed
March 2015
2,055 MW Littlebrook D oil-fired plant in Dartford, Kent closed.
Remaining coal or oil plants: 13
Last remaining oil-fired power station to close.
Ironbridge B Power Station Closed
November 2015
The remaining unit of the 1,000 MW Ironbridge B power plant in Shropshire closed.
Remaining coal plants: 12
LCPD Closure Deadline
December 2015
Closure deadline for all plants opted out of the LCPD.
Industrial Emissions Directive Started
January 2016
Industrial Emissions Directive became effective, replacing LCPD.
Ferrybridge C Power Station Closed
March 2016
The remaining two units of the 2,000 MW Ferrybridge C Power Plant in North Yorkshire closed.
Remaining coal plants: 11
Longannet Power Station Closed
March 2016
2400 MW Longannet power plant in Fife closed. Longannet was Scotland’s largest coal power station.
Remaining coal plants: 10
Rugeley B Power Station Closed
Lynemouth Power Station Closed Pending Conversion to Biomass
January 2017
420 MW Lynemouth power plant in Northumberland biomass stopped using coal and was converted to fire biomass.
Remaining coal plants: 8
Eggborough Power Station Closed
March 2018
2,000 MW Eggborough power plant in North Yorkshire closed, to be replaced with a gas-fired station.
Remaining coal plants: 7
Cottam Power Station Closed
September 2019
2,008 MW Cottam power plant in Nottinghamshire closed.
Remaining coal plants: 6
Aberthaw B Power Station Closed
March 2020
1,586 MW Aberthaw B power plant in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales closed.
Remaining coal plants: 5
Fiddlers Ferry Power Station Closed
Coal units at Drax Power Station taken offline
March 2021
The last remaining coal unit at Drax Power Station was taken offline, leaving only biomass fired units in operation.
Remaining coal plants: 3
West Burton A Power Station Closed
March 2023
2,000 MW West Burton A power plant in Nottinghamshire closed.
Remaining coal plants: 2
Kilroot Power Station Closed Pending Conversion to Gas
September 2023
560 MW Kilroot power plant in County Antrim, Northern Ireland closed and will be converted to run on gas.
Remaining coal plants: 1
Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station Closed
September 2024
2,115 MW Ratcliffe on Soar power plant in Nottinghamshire closed, marking the end of coal fired electricity generation in the UK
Remaining coal plants: 0