E.ON has today confirmed that Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent, ceased commercial generation at 1510hrs. Decommissioning / closure work will be undertaken at the power station as it heads towards formal closure by 31 March 2013.

The power station, along with others across the UK, was forced to stop commercial generation as a result of the EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive legislation (LCPD) which required it to close after generating for 20,000 hours from 1st January 2008. If the commercial running hours had not been used up the station would have been forced to close at the end of 2015 regardless of time remaining.

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Commenting on the end of commercial operations at Kingsnorth, Tony Cocker, Chief Executive of E.ON UK said: "Above all else I want to say thank you to all the men and women who built and worked at Kingsnorth throughout its lifetime.

"The reality that is dawning on us all now is that the end of commercial operations at Kingsnorth not only marks the end of an important chapter but highlights the very real and present need for the Government to deliver a framework that will provide a sustainable future for existing power stations and the new age of investment this country needs.

"Over the coming months more power stations will stop powering the UK and this provides a most striking example of the need for a clear, straightforward and customer-centric solution to be delivered by the Energy Bill. We need to get it right, and quickly, so we and other investors can build new plants with confidence."

(CD)