UK Marks End of 140-Year Coal Power Era as Last Plant Shuts Down, Becomes First G7 Nation to End Coal Power

Britain is set to become the first G7 country to end coal-fired power production, with the closure of Uniper's Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant in the Midlands on Monday. This marks the end of more than a century of coal power in the UK. Since announcing plans in 2015 to phase out coal plants, the country has reduced its reliance on coal for electricity from 30% to just over 1%. The shift has significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiding Britain's net-zero emissions goal for 2050. The government aims to fully decarbonize the electricity sector by 2030 by transitioning to renewable energy sources.