GB Railfreight has delivered the final coal shipment to Uniper‘s Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, set to close on 30th September.
The 1,650-tonne delivery can generate electricity for approximately 500,000 homes for eight hours.
This marks the end of a long-term partnership, during which over 6,000 kilotonnes of coal were transported from the Port of Immingham.
To commemorate this partnership, GB Railfreight will name one of its locomotives ‘Ratcliffe Power Station’.
First commissioned in 1967, Ratcliffe power station is the last operational coal-fired power station in the UK.
With its four 500MW units, it has a total capacity of 2GW, capable of powering more than two million homes, covering the East Midlands area.
Over its 57 years of operation, the station has generated enough electricity to make over 21 trillion cups of tea.
The closure aligns with the UK Government’s target to end coal generation by 2024.
Coal’s contribution to UK energy has declined from over 95% at the turn of the 20th century to just 1% by 2023.
Mike Lockett Uniper UK Country Chair said: “The last coal delivery will be a significant moment and one that heralds the end of the story for the power station.
“However, it’s not the end for the site, as we look towards a future where it could become a zero-carbon technology and energy hub for the East Midlands.”
John Smith, Chief Executive Offocer of GB Railfreight, said: “Whilst we rightly recognise that coal must be phased out for the UK to successfully transition to a modern, zero-carbon economy, rail freight will continue to play a key role in the economy of the future.”
