Drax has notified its UK staff of plans to cut up to 150 jobs at its UK power stations.This move is part of the company's restructuring plan,affecting both the UK and North America,putting around 350 jobs at risk.
According to a statement from the GMB union,employees have received a"Section 188 notice"detailing that between 89 and 148 positions will be eliminated at the Drax power plant by the end of March 2027.Deanne Ferguson,a senior organizer at GMB,said:"This is a serious blow for Drax workers and their families,as well as the surrounding local communities."She added:"Drax has used public funds,yet is considering job cuts when the funding runs out.This behavior could affect net-zero targets,and the government should pay attention to this."
Drax,headquartered in Selby,Yorkshire,has a global workforce of 3,250.GMB noted that there are 465 employees at the Selby power plant,and after the job cuts,the number of staff at this site could fall by around 30%.Company CEO Will Gardiner has previously stated that securing fixed-price agreements could save UK energy users£3.1 billion.However,since late 2025,Drax has been in the public eye primarily due to its job cut plans.
Sharon Graham,General Secretary of the Unite union,criticized the move,saying:"It is morally wrong for workers,their families,and local communities to pay the price for corporate decisions."Drax said in a previous statement:"These changes are key to our long-term success and an important part of our commitment to securing the UK's energy supply and supporting the energy transition."The company has communicated the job cut plans to employees and is seeking further comment.
In January of this year,Drax announced the acquisition of the asset optimization business Flexitricity for£36 million.At the end of last year,the company also agreed on terms for a low-carbon Contract for Difference(CfD)for its power station.The Dispatchable Power Agreement with Low Carbon Contracts Ltd sets a fixed price for Drax of£109.90 per megawatt-hour(based on 2012 real prices)for the period from April 2027 to March 2031.These moves aim to optimize the business structure,but the job cut plans remain controversial.The Drax job cuts highlight the challenges faced by energy companies during the transition process.
