Didcot Coal Power Station to Close

18 September 2012, 14:30 | Updated: 18 September 2012, 14:51

The coal-fired power station at Didcot will stop producing electricity next March as the Government moves to cleaner ways to produce energy.

RWE npower says Didcot A Power Station will be decommissioned after 42 years of service.

The station will have reached its allocated 20,000 hours of electricity generation by March 2013.

The company are in communication with staff and say some workers may move to other parts of the company, others will be part of the programme to take the station out of service while others will move to work elsewhere.

The closure is driven by Government policy and a move towards low carbon power replacing older and less efficient power stations.

Closing a major power station is a complex task and is expected to take several years.

Planning officers, county and district councils and other organisations affected by the closure will all be involved.

The future of the site has not been decided, although the closure of Didcot A Power Station will not affect Didcot B Power Station, which is gas-fired and will continue to operate as normal.

Phil Noake, Didcot A Power Station Manager, said: "This is a time to reflect on the fantastic team we have at Didcot A Power Station, and say thank you to all those who have helped to deliver power to homes and businesses across Britain for over 40 years.

"Our thanks also go to the local community who have supported us throughout these years."