Cottam power station to shut

Unite will be exploring alternative employment for the workers who will lose their jobs when the Cottam coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire ceases generation on September 30.

EDF Energy said today (February 7) that the decision reflects the challenging market conditions over the last few years and the drive to decarbonise electricity generation.

“The announcement of this closure has been on the cards for the last 12 months,” said Unite national officer for energy Peter McIntosh.

“It is not unexpected, but it is still a sad day for the workers and their families as this plant has been generating for more than 50 years.

“Unite’s role will be to continue to constructively engage with the EDF management about the redeployment of the more than 150 employees affected,” he added.

“We will aim to match the skills and aspirations of the Cottam workers with opportunities for redeployment within the EDF ‘family’.

“This announcement has to be seen in the wider context of creating a low carbon economy. The UK committed to climate change obligations when it signed up to the Paris Agreement in 2016.”