Beton Bauen Witnesses Demolition of Major Welsh Landmark, as Guests of Nulla Carbo Fabrica
- Dan Brennan
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The long-awaited controlled explosive demolition of the chimney stack at the former Aberthaw Power Station took place on Friday 12 June 2026, and courtesy of Martyn Fear (from NCF Nulla Carbo Fabrica), Beton Bauen got to witness the event!
Image courtesy of Walesonline.co.uk
A major milestone in the transformation of the former Aberthaw Power Station site was reached last Friday, with the safe and successful demolition of the station’s iconic chimney stack. For more than 50-years the chimney at Aberthaw Power Station, in the Vale of Glamorgan, dominated the skyline - this was Wales' last coal-fired power station and closed in 2020.
Beton Bauen representatives Steve Davies, Dan Brennan, and actor Julian Lewis-Jones were invited to attend as part of a group, hosted by Nulla Carbo Fabrica (NCF) managing director, Martyn Fear, to see the last moments of the iconic landmark.
NCF is supporting two important charities this year – MND Association (South Wales Care Network), plus Believe Organ Donor Support. Other guests on the day included Believe founder Anna-Louise Bates, Brendan Sadka (CEO, Sadka Consultancy), ITV Wales reporter Issa Farfour, plus Andrew Blackstock, Chris Hodge, and David Bull from NCF.
DEMOLITION
Standing at approximately 650 feet tall, the Aberthaw stack was among the tallest structures in Wales and remained a prominent feature of the South Wales skyline for more than five decades. Constructed during the development of the power station in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the structure encased three flues and became closely associated with Aberthaw’s historic role in electricity generation and industrial development across the region.
Visible from communities across South Wales and the Bristol Channel, the structure served as a well-known landmark and a lasting reminder of the site’s contribution to the Welsh energy sector. This demolition marks a significant step in Aberthaw’s transition from its industrial past, towards a new future focused on sustainable energy, innovation-led industry and long-term regeneration.
The controlled demolition was delivered safely by CCR Energy Ltd’s demolition contractor, Erith Contractors Ltd, supported by specialist team, PDC Explosives Engineering, and carried out in line with strict safety and environmental controls. The operation forms part of the wider demolition and site-enabling programme currently underway at Aberthaw.
Works at Aberthaw will now continue with the next phases of demolition, remediation and site preparation, alongside ongoing master planning, infrastructure assessments and engagement with potential partners across the energy, industrial and innovation sectors. The transformation of Aberthaw remains focused on creating long-term opportunities for investment, employment, sustainability and regional growth – ensuring the site continues to play an important role in Wales’s future economy for generations to come. See the ITV Wales news report by Issa Farfour (12 June 2026) below...
ABERTHAW: PAVING THE WAY FOR CLEANER, GREENER, AND COMPETITIVE LOW-CARBON FUTURE
Cardiff Capital Region Energy (CCR Energy), the company leading the project to redevelop the site, hope to transform the Aberthaw Power Station site into a vibrant hub of sustainable energy, innovation, and community development.
NCF are working closely with CCR Energy, undertaking investigative research on how waste materials from the former power plant can be used in development of recycled building products, and how these products might make it to market and become a commercial benefit to Wales and the UK economy.
The removal of the stack will help unlock the next phase of redevelopment across the site, which is being prepared to support a range of future opportunities linked to clean energy, advanced manufacturing, industrial innovation and environmental resilience – in an area of strategic coastal importance.
The redevelopment programme continues to follow a phased and evidence-led approach, ensuring flexibility to respond to future investment opportunities, market demand and emerging technologies.
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