UK power stations have gone without coal for the longest period since the Industrial Revolution
No coal burned for 82 hours over the Easter weekend
BRITAIN’s power stations have gone without coal for the longest period since the Industrial Revolution – it emerged yesterday.
Ministers hailed new industry figures which revealed the bulk of electricity over the Easter weekend was generated by renewable ‘green’ energy and nuke power.
Not a single kilo of coal had been burned for 82 hours.
In China, around 75 per cent of its electricity comes from coal.
The staggering figures were championed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Twitter.
The Tory leadership contender said: “One reason the UK has cut carbon emissions more than almost anywhere. It’s worth celebrating.”
Under current Government plans, all coal power plants are due to close in 2025 – five years ahead of Canada.
At the time of the announcement two years ago, the then Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said it was wrong for Britain to rely on “polluting, carbon intensive” plants.
China’s largest power producers last month asked Beijing to rubber stamp the development of between 300 to 500 new coal power plants by 2030.
Experts believe the Chinese authorities could build 2 new coal power plants each MONTH for the next 12 years – growing the country’s capacity by nearly twice the size of Europe’s total coal output.
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