Ratcliffe-on-Soar
Ratcliffe-on-Soar is one of the most efficient coal fired power stations in the UK. With a total generation capacity of 2,000MW from four 500MW units it produces enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 2 million people. That is more than twice the population of Nottinghamshire.
Protecting the Environment at Ratcliffe-on-Soar
At Ratcliffe-on-Soar we have introduced a number of environmental initiatives to minimize our potential impact on the environment. These include:
Further information about Flue Gas Desulphurisation (PDF, 83KB)
Further information about High Efficiency High Pressure turbines (PDF, 59KB)
Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station is also committed to habitat and species conservation on site. Our biodiversity programme includes:
- Carrying our site surveys and maintaining records of biodiversity, as well as educating our employees and contrators in the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity
- Consulting local and national conservation agencies and contributing to the work of external conservation bodies.
- Protecting and where possible enhancing the ecological calue of the site with particular reference to the habitats and species identified as priorities.
There are six priority habitats at Ratcliffe - these include ancient and/or species rich hedgerows, cereal field margins, lowland calcareous grassland, lowland meadows, reed beds and lowland wood pastures and parkland.
The bird species found here include three listed as globally threatened: the bullfinch, linnet and song thrush. Badgers, foxes, stoats, weasels and the brown hare (a priority species) all inhabit the site, as well as a rich variety of insects including brown hawker, emperor and black tailed skimmer dragonflies.
Community
Ratcliffe-on-Soar provides valuable collaboration on various environmental and chemical engineering projects with Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent University and has links with local schools providing work experience opportunities.
We recieve over 2400 visitors every year, ranging from MPs, to local schools, international visitors and retired people clubs.
Ratcliffe is very involved in fund raising for local charities, as well as having a high involvement in community projects within the local area.
Record Breaking
Unit 1 at Ratcliffe Power Station is the first UK 500MW coal-fired unit to run for 250,000 hours.
The unit set the record on 11 February, which is equivalent to around 10,416 days or 28.54 years of continuous generation.
Unit 1 leads all other 500MW coal-fired units, from all companies in the UK, by more than 10,000 hours.
