Power station landmark wiped off Yorkshire skyline

Another landmark has been wiped off Yorkshire's skyline, after two 200-metre chimney stacks and the boiler house were demolished at Ferrybridge C power station.

They were brought down in a controlled explosion at the site in West Yorkshire at around 9:45 on Sunday morning.

A 250-metre exclusion zone was put in place for the safety of local residents. Nearby homes were also evacuated for a short time.

Rolling closures controlled the traffic on the nearby M62 and A162 motorways.In total 100,000 tonnes of steel was brought crashing to the ground in the explosion. It will take nine months to dismantle it and clear the site.

The demolition followed the closure of the former coal-fired power station in 2016, and the subsequent demolition of five cooling towers in July and October 2019.The controlled explosion was detonated by the COP26 President Alok Sharma MP ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow in November. 

He said it was a landmark moment in the UK's transition to clean energy: “It is time for countries to set out clear plans to consign coal power to the history books and safeguard our planet for future generations. The UK is moving fast towards a clean energy transition and the many new jobs in renewables, like those being created by SSE, demonstrate how many opportunities there are in our green industrial revolution. “Pressing the button on this demolition is a symbolic moment for me and demonstrates that change is possible. But to limit global temperature rises and keep 1.5C within reach, the whole world needs to plan to consign coal power to the past.”