The photograph shows the demolition on 9 December of the chimney of what was once the largest coal-fired power plant in Europe, the Longannet power station in Scotland. Operated by ScottishPower, now a subsidiary of Iberdrola, it ceased operations in 2016.
700 kg of explosives were used to demolish the 183 metre-high chimney. Ignacio Galán, chairman of Iberdrola, commented: "Longannet has played an important role in Scotland's history as its largest coal station, but the future can only be about clean energy." Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, pressed the button that activated the 700 kg of explosives that brought down what was until 9 December the tallest free-standing structure in the country. She described the event as a symbolic moment: "We have ended coal-fired power generation in Scotland".
Scotland has been coal-free since ScottishPower closed the plant five years ago.
The power station, located in Kincardine-on-Forth, began generating electricity in 1970. It was the largest coal-fired power station in Europe when it was built and remained the largest in Scotland until closure on 31 March 2016.
