Cottam coal power station closure puts 300 jobs at risk

A coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire is set to close, leaving hundreds of jobs at risk, its owners confirmed.

EDF Energy said the power station in Cottam would shut on 30 September because of "challenging market conditions".

Mike MacDonald, from the union Prospect, said it was a "huge blow to workers" and local people.

With 300 jobs at risk, unions said the news was not a shock but "premature".

Mr MacDonald said: "We had been led to believe the power station would be wound down by 2025, which would have given plenty of time to mitigate the £60m which will be lost from the local economy as a result."

He added that they now need reassurances from the company and government that they will work to minimise the impact of this closure.

Cottam plant manager Andy Powell said the power station was designed to operate for 30 years so "it's a credit to our people, the engineering and EDF Energy's investment that it has operated for more than 50 years".

He said the winding down would be done "safely and responsibly" and staff would be supported throughout the process.

The Unite union said it will be looking at alternative employment for workers.

Peter McIntosh, from the union, said: "It is not unexpected, but it is still a sad day for the workers and their families."

In October, the Business Department said the UK was on track to get less than 5% of its electricity from coal for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, and to take polluting coal power off the grid ahead of the 2025 deadline.

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