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Britain closes its last coal-fired power plant, ending 142 years of coal-fired electricity generation.

Britain closes its last coal-fired power plant, ending 142 years of coal-fired electricity generation.Britain closes its last coal-fired power plant, ending 142 years of coal-fired electricity generation.

Britain, the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, closed its last coal-fired power plant—Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station—at midnight on September 30th. This moment marked the end of 142 years of coal-fired electricity generation in the UK.

Ratcliffe Power Station once served as the backbone of Britain's electricity supply, employing over 3,000 engineers at its peak and providing 74% of the nation's power. However, with the rise in carbon taxes and the emergence of renewable energy, coal power gradually declined. In the 1980s, coal accounted for 80% of the UK's electricity, but by 2023, it was less than 1%.

The closure of the coal-fired power plant was not immediate. Originally planned for the end of 2022, the plant's operation was extended due to the gas crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Now, the plant's eight boilers and four turbines have ceased operation, and the remaining coal piles will become historical relics.

Employee resettlement is crucial. The parent company, Uniper, plans to transform the site into a hydrogen production base and provide vocational training and severance packages. The trade union alliance is working with Uniper to help workers find new jobs, ensuring a smooth transition.

Britain's coal era has undergone two major reductions. The first was in the 1990s when natural gas replaced coal; the second was in the past decade, driven by policy and the development of renewable energy, which accelerated the elimination of coal. In 2015, the UK government announced that all coal-fired power stations would close by 2025, later advancing the deadline to 2024.

Britain has become the first G7 country to bid farewell to coal power, marking a new era in global energy transition. The end of the coal era heralds the beginning of new, high-quality energy jobs.

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