BRITAIN’S last coal-fired power station Ratcliffe-on-Soar will close its doors on Monday.

The power station, located in Nottinghamshire, has supplied the nation with electricity since 1968.

Its closure will mark the end of Britain’s 142-year reliance on the fossil fuel, and make Britain the first G7 country to phase out coal power.

GMB, Prospect and Unite worked with the plant’s owner Uniper to manage the impact the closure would have on the 154 workers on site. 

A transition plan secured internal transfers, external job opportunities, flexible release with full redundancy entitlement, funded training courses and an enhanced voluntary redundancy package. 

Some workers will stay on to help with the plant’s decommissioning process, which is expected to last two years.

The Tory government announced in 2015 that all coal power stations would close within the decade. Ratcliffe is the last of 13 sites to be shut down since.

Greenpeace UK’s policy director Dr Doug Parr said: “Just over a decade ago, coal made up nearly two-fifths of UK electricity generation but the rapid advance of renewables has made it obsolete. 

“Britain has set an example the rest of the world must follow if we are to stop the devastation caused by the climate crisis and toxic air pollution.

“There are further battles to be had to phase out oil and gas, fulfilling the promise by all countries at Cop28 to transition away from fossil fuels.

“However we must also learn from the UK coal story and recognise that this transition needs to be done with proactive support to affected communities and workers so they’re not left economically stranded.

“In Ratcliffe’s case, unions and the employer sat down together to make a transition plan for all workers at the station.”

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Delivering a fair climate transition needs a powerful industrial strategy supported by sustained public investment and a voice for workers. Ratcliffe can give us hope that with the right approach, coordinated pathways into new jobs and investment into skill creation are possible.”

The new Labour government plans to deliver “clean energy” by 2030 and hit net zero emissions from electricity generation. 

After entering power, it lifted a de facto ban on onshore wind projects and announced that it would make a record £1.5bn available to clean energy developers.  

Labour has pledged to invest £1bn in carbon capture, although scientists sent a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband this month, arguing that it relies on unproven technology and would result in huge emissions and will hinder net-zero targets.