The UK is about to end its reliance on coal for electricity, concluding 142 years of coal-powered energy. The country’s last coal power station, at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will close on Monday, ending operations after 56 years of service. This milestone supports the UK’s efforts to combat climate change, as coal is the most polluting fossil fuel.

The UK, the birthplace of coal power, becomes the first major economy to phase it out entirely. Coal-fired electricity began in 1882 when Thomas Edison built the world’s first coal-power station at Holborn Viaduct in London, which lit up the capital’s streets.

For most of the 20th century, coal was the backbone of UK energy. It remained dominant even as gas began to take over in the 1990s. As recently as 2012, coal still provided 39% of the country’s power.

However, with growing awareness of climate change, coal became the primary target for reduction. The UK’s legally binding climate targets were introduced in 2008, and by 2015, the government pledged to phase out coal by 2025.

This set a clear direction for the energy industry. The rise of renewable energy, which provided more than 50% of the UK’s power by 2024, accelerated the transition. By 2017, the first coal-free days had been achieved, and now the UK is poised to switch off coal power permanently.

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