The UK Government has announced that it will phase out all ageing coal based power plants by 2025 and restrict their use by 2023.

In a bid to reduce carbon emissions and cut cost, the country will build new nuclear reactors and gas fired power plants, moving away from coal.

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UK Energy and Climate Change secretary Amber Rudd said: "Energy security comes first and I am determined to ensure that the UK has secure, affordable, and clean energy supplies that hardworking families and businesses can rely on now and in the future.

"We are tackling a legacy of underinvestment and ageing power stations, which we need to replace with alternatives that are reliable, good value for money, and help to reduce our emissions.

"It cannot be satisfactory for an advanced economy like the UK to be relying on polluting, carbon intensive 50-year-old coal-fired power stations."

"It cannot be satisfactory for an advanced economy like the UK to be relying on polluting, carbon intensive 50-year-old coal-fired power stations."

Coal power plants contributed 30% of the power requirement last year, while gas based plants generated 31%, nuclear provided 18% and renewable sources generated 19% of the country’s power mix.

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The UK aims to generate 30% of the power from renewable sources to meet the European Union target. The EU has also asked the coal plants in the region to shift to less polluting technology or close the plants by 2023.

The UK Government will start consultation early next year on when to close the ageing coal powered plants.

Rudd added: "Let me be clear: this is not the future.

"We need to build a new energy infrastructure, fit for the 21st century.

"Our determination to cut carbon emissions as cost effectively as possible is crystal clear, and this step will make us one of the first developed countries to commit to taking coal off our system."