Ferrybridge Power Station demolition: Watch historic moment final cooling towers are demolished

The last of the cooling towers were brought down on Thursday night under the cover of darkness and drone footage from site owners SSE shows the moment they were demolished.

And while the darkness meant the view of the towers wasn't the best, it does show the explosions beneath the towers as bright red flashes of light show the moment they were blown.

Ferrybridge Power Station was officially closed in March 2016 having produced electricity for the last 50 years.

Contractor Keltbray carried out the demolition on Thursday evening using controlled explosives, with an exclusion zone put in place to ensure the public's safety.

The demolition marks the final stage of a series of demolitions to bring the iconic sight across the West Yorkshire skyline down.

In August 2021, COP26 President and Government Minister Alok Sharma pressed the button to demolish two chimney stacks and the main boiler house at the site. That followed the demolition of five cooling towers in two separate blowdowns in 2019.

Paul Hook, SSE thermal’s project manager for Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station, said: “The demolition project at Ferrybridge ‘C’ has been a significant undertaking and this event represents the culmination of years of planning.

"For the Ferrybridge community, it is another poignant moment with the power station having played a vital part in so many people’s lives. However, it is important that we move towards a low-carbon future in order to meet our net zero targets.

"For the final blowdown at the site, we engaged closely with local residents, Wakefield Council, West Yorkshire Police, the Highways Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure a safe and efficient demolition, and we thank everyone involved for their cooperation and support."