UK’s last coal-fired power station ‘has been a lovely place to work’

Mr Atkinson has nothing but praise for the station and especially his colleagues.

His role as a control instrumentation engineer means “making the buttons work”.

He said: “So that’s so everything from meters and gas detectors, to everything that controls the plant really.

“I started here as an apprentice. I completed my four-year apprenticeship and then worked up the ranks to be an engineer.

“The people here are amazing. Coming to work you feel like you’re doing something useful and you’re keeping people’s lights on.

“We’re doing something meaningful – you feel like what you’re doing is important.”

He said the decommissioning had come around faster than expected.

“It’s come around so quickly,” he said.

“Working here for seven years, there’s mixed emotions. It’s a lovely place to work and I’m glad I’ve worked here.

“I’m excited that we’re going through an energy transition and there’s other industries out there, other technologies that we need to look towards, and I want to get involved with that.”