UK forced to resort to coal power plants

Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power plant
Image: MaltaGC

Over the last several decades the UK has taken a decisive course towards shutting down "dirty" electric power generation. And that initiative was making impressive headway. Of the 14 coal-fired superplants that the nation once had only three remain in operation today. Or, rather, on standby as a designated emergency resource.

Recently they had o be activated for the first time since being designated as such fallback option. The reason for that was unusually cold weather and worker strikes across Europe that had created a threat of blackouts in the UK. That measure became necessary even though fossil fuels for now amount to a mere 5% of the UK's power generating capacity.

Thus, whatever your stance on the clean energy, one thing is clear: at east at this stage, clean energy can not hold its own as a sole option.

References

Britain fires up back-up coal plants for first time ever
Chris Price, Szu Ping Chan, et al., The Telegraph, 8 March 2023

List of active coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom (wiki)

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