The Anonymous Widower

Nuclear Plan For Decommissioned Coal Power Station

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Nuclear power could be generated on the site of a former coal power station in Nottinghamshire.

These first four paragraphs add details.

Cottam Power Station was decommissioned in 2019, and in August its eight 114m (375ft) cooling towers were demolished.

Three businesses – American energy firm Holtec International, EDF UK, and real estate manager Tritax – have now signed an agreement to set up a small modular reactor (SMR) to power “advanced” data centres at the 900-acre site.

Holtec said the project could create “thousands of high-skilled manufacturing and construction jobs”, as well as “long-term roles”.

The SMR at Cottam would be the second of its kind, following the creation of a plant at Palisades in Michigan, in the US.

Note.

1. Cottam was a 2,000 MW power station, that could run on coal, oil and biomass.
2. If a nuclear power station is built at Cottam, it will be one of the first nuclear stations not close to the coast.

I asked Google AI for details of the plant at Palisades in Michigan and received this reply.

The Palisades SMR project at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan will feature two Holtec SMR-300 units, each producing at least 300 megawatts of power, for a combined total of at least 600-640 megawatts of net power. This project aims to have the first US dual-unit SMR 300 system operational by 2030, and the SMRs are designed to produce electricity and provide steam for other industrial purposes.

It does appear that the new generation of reactors from Holtec, Rolls-Royce and X-energy are smaller than many nuclear reactors built in the last twenty years.

This Google Map shows the Cottam site.

Note.

1. The River Trent surrounds the site.
2. Could the Trent be used for cooling water?
3. The cooling towers are still in place, so the image must have been taken before August.
4. The sub-station is in the South-West corner of the site.
5. The railway over Torksey viaduct is disused.

It would appear that there is generous space for the SMRs and a few data centres.

The Cottam Solar Project

In DCO Decision On 480MW West Burton Solar NSIP Delayed Until 2025, I wrote about three large solar projects in Eastern England.

The Cottam Solar Project was one of the projects and wants to use the Cottam site.

1. The Cottam Solar Project has a web site.
2. It will have a capacity of 600 MW, with a battery, with a battery with a 600 MW output and a 600 MWh capacity.
3. The solar farm will use the grid connection of the former coal-powered Cottam power station.
4. The project is massive and will cover 1270 hectares.

Will this solar project lease space for the SMR, so they can co-exist?

Conclusion

It does appear that there are more than one use for old coal-fired power station sites.

September 16, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Energy | Atlantic Partnership For Advanced Nuclear Energy, Coal-fired Power Stations, Cottam Power Station, Cottam Solar Project, Data Centre, EDF, Holtec International, Michigan, Nuclear Power, Small Modular Nuclear Reactor, Solar Power, Tritax, United States, West Burton Project