Wales’ largest coal-fired power station is set to downgrade its operations citing “challenging” market conditions [read the full story on the BBC here] just days ahead of planned mass action against the UK’s largest opencast mine nearby in Ffos-y-fran.

In response to the announcement, climate action network Reclaim the Power have released the following statement:

“This Aberthaw announcement is just the latest in a long-line of closures, bankruptcies and tumbling prices for the industry – it’s never been clearer that coal is on its last legs.

Yet, Miller Argent, who run the UK’s largest opencast coal mine at Ffos-y-fran, are still determined to crush local democracy and open a new mine at Nant Llesg in south Wales.

Ffos-y-fran is a supplier of Aberthaw, a power station so dirty it has been breaking legal air pollution limits since 2008. With Aberthaw on the way out, the case for a new mine crumbles.

Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel. If we’re serious about tackling the climate crisis, we must transition away from polluting energy and towards renewable power, clean air and thousands of green jobs.

With just a week until the Welsh Assembly elections, the moment is now for Welsh politicians and Miller Argent to keep it in the ground and say no to new coal.

This weekend, Reclaim the Power will host the End Coal Now action camp in south Wales, part of a global wave of action against fossil fuel industry. Hundreds of us will be taking action to shut down Ffos-y-fran mine – join us and keep coal in the ground once and for all.”

CONTACT RECLAIM THE POWER:

For interviews, quotes or to cover the camp and action – press@reclaimthepower.org.uk, 07780014541

NOTES:

  1. From Saturday 30th April until Wednesday 4th May, the End Coal Now camp will take place near Merthyr Tydfil – exact camp location will be announced on Saturday 30th April at noon. Mass action will take place on Tuesday 3rd May. For more information, visit: www.reclaimthepower.org.uk/endcoalnow.
  2. View the press release about the planned action here.
  3. Air pollution from coal plants in the UK were estimated to cause 1,600 premature deaths a year.
  4. Aberthaw has been breaking legal air pollution limits since 2008, for which the UK government is currently being taken to court by the European Commission, making it the most polluting power station in the UK in terms of nitrogen oxide emissions.
  5. A recent report by Friends of the Earth Cymru estimates that, factoring in its health and environmental impacts, Aberthaw is a net drain on society to the tune of £400million.
  6. The UK government has announced an intention to phase out coal power by 2025.