West Burton A

In response to the UK Government’s request in March this year to continue contingency contracts, EDF and Drax have confirmed that their coal units will not be available for another winter and have begun decommissioning.

French-owned energy company EDF Energy has confirmed that West Burton A, a coal-fired power station, closed at midnight 31 March 2023.

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has asked National Grid ESO to explore the potential of extending the contingency coal contracts into next winter, but all five units will be unavailable.

​In this week’s edition of our Current± Price Watch series – powered by LCP Enact – we chatted to KrakenFlex about what the low demand due to mild weather and surging wind generation mean for power prices, and what the flexibility requirements are likely to be in the coming months.

EDF has agreed to keep its coal-fired West Burton A power plant running through the upcoming winter amidst the ongoing uncertainty in the energy sector.

​EDF is to shutter its West Burton A power station in September 2022, leaving just one coal-fired power station remaining in the UK.