Demolition of Cockenzie Power Station

Cockenzie's iconic chimneys were demolished by Controlled explosion on Saturday 26th September changing the skyline around East Lothian and the Forth forever.

We captured the moments leading up to the button press, speaking to former workers at the station and local residents before the chimneys were brought together for the first and last time.

Originally operational in the summer of 1967, Cockenzie was officially opened on the 24th May 1968 by the Secretary of State for Scotland, The Rt. Hon. William Ross. The Power Station generated more than 150 Terawatt Hours (TWh) of electricity in its lifetime, enough to power the average annual electricity needs of more than 1 million homes every year during its 45 years of operation. In total, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been employed at Cockenzie, during construction and operation, with many thousands of other jobs supported in the wider supply chain and local area.