A power station which was once the largest in Scotland has shut down after 45 years in operation.
Cockenzie power station's four turbines stopped generating electricity on Friday morning, marking the "end of an era" for the East Lothian site and its operators.
The closure of the coal-fired station, known for its distinctive twin chimney stacks, was part of a decommissioning programme pre-agreed with National Grid. ScottishPower said many of the station's 100 members of staff will now be moving to other power stations or business areas within the company while some others have opted for retirement or voluntary severance.
Neil Clitheroe, ScottishPower's chief executive officer of energy retail and generation, said: "It is the end of an era for ScottishPower and for the people at Cockenzie power station, who I would like to thank for all of their hard work and commitment over the last 45 years.
"When Cockenzie became operational in 1967, the world was a very different place, but the station was designed to such a high standard that it played a pivotal role in maintaining the security of electricity supplies in Britain for more than four decades.
"On average, Cockenzie produced enough energy to power about one million homes every year during its operational lifetime. It is thought that more than 10,000 people have been employed at the site during its construction and working life."
The closure came after the station used the last of its permitted running hours.Each of the station's two stacks had been granted 20,000 hours of operation when it was opted out of the European Union's large combustion plant directive (LCPD) in 2008.
The site already has a planning consent for a 1,000MW gas-fired power station, ScottishPower said.A spokesman for the company said: "We are concerned that power stations are shutting faster than they are being built and are looking for clarity from the Government in the Energy Bill to help investment in replacement power stations.
"Environmentalists said the closure of the coal-fired plant marks "an important energy milestone" in Scotland's move to a 100% renewable future.
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: "Renewables now generate more of Scotland's electricity needs than either coal or gas and last year reduced emissions by over 10 million tonnes. A 100% renewable Scotland is not only possible, it's also necessary if we want to ensure security of supply while generating clean electricity free from the volatile prices rises of global markets."
