SEJ
Published on SEJ (https://www.sej.org)

Home > Britain Passes One Week Without Coal Power For First Time Since 1882"

Britain Passes One Week Without Coal Power For First Time Since 1882" [1]

"Britain has gone a week without using coal to generate electricity for the first time since Queen Victoria was on the throne, in a landmark moment in the transition away from the heavily polluting fuel.

The last coal generator came off the system at 1.24pm on 1 May, meaning the UK reached a week without coal at 1.24pm on Wednesday, according to the National Grid Electricity System Operator, which runs the network in England, Scotland and Wales.

Coal-fired power stations still play a major part in the UK’s energy system as a backup during high demand but the increasing use of renewable energy sources such as wind power means it is required less. High international coal prices have also made the fuel a less attractive source of energy.

The latest achievement – the first coal-free week since 1882, when a plant opened at Holborn in London – comes only two years after Britain’s first coal-free day since the Industrial Revolution."

Jasper Jolly reports for the Guardian May 8, 2019. [2]

Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Europe [5]
Public [6]
Source: Guardian [2], 05/09/2019
  • Contact Us  |
  • Donate  |
  • Join  |
  • Members  |
  • Privacy & Security Policies  |
  • Reach SEJ Members  |
  • Renew  |
  • Site Map
The Society of Environmental Journalists
1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 558-2055
Email: sej@sej.org
© 2025 The Society of Environmental Journalists. All Rights Reserved.
All graphics © SEJ, unless otherwise stated.

Source URL:https://www.sej.org/headlines/britain-passes-one-week-without-coal-power-first-time-1882

Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/britain-passes-one-week-without-coal-power-first-time-1882 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/08/britain-passes-1-week-without-coal-power-for-first-time-since-1882 [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [5] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/europe [6] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81