THE demolition of Didcot A power station’s three remaining cooling towers is expected to take place in the second half of this year, bosses at energy company RWE npower have confirmed.

Thousands of people gathered at vantage points to see the first three of the six 325ft cooling towers blown up during the early hours of Sunday, July 27, last year.

Coal-fired Didcot A closed in March 2013 following the European Union’s Large Combustion Plant Directive aimed at reducing emissions from old fossil-fuel powered plants.

Now only gas-fired Didcot B remains.

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There was more drama in October when a major fire broke out at Didcot B, causing severe damage to a cooling tower module.

RWE npower spokeswoman Kelly Brown said: “It has been a very challenging year for staff at Didcot B – the team there is working very hard.

“Didcot B is now about 90-95 per cent operational and is doing extremely well considering the damage that was done – it is now not far off full strength.”

Ms Brown said demolition of the former Didcot A power station, which was disconnected from the National Grid after 43 years’ service, was ongoing.

She added that the turbine house in the middle of the site has been stripped out and would be brought down using explosives in the middle of the year.

Ms Brown said: “The demolition of the southern cooling towers (nearer Sutton Courtenay) would take place in the latter half of the year, followed by demolition of the stack early in 2016.”

Before the first three Didcot A cooling towers were demolished, some residents campaigned for the time of the demolition to be set at 6am so more people could watch.

Earlier RWE npower would only say that the demolition would take place between 3am and 5am.

In the event, the demolition took place just after 5am.

Ms Brown said consultation with Network Rail, Thames Valley Police and local authorities regarding the demolition of the three remaining towers would start this month.

She added: “The same methodology will be used [as for the first three towers] but it is closer to the National Grid sub-station, Didcot B power station and overhead power cables.

“The demolition of the southern towers will present its own challenges and that is being planned and discussed now, as well as road and rail safety.”

Ms Brown said the firm did not consider the demolition of Didcot A cooling towers as a public event and would not compromise on public safety.

Thousands of people gathered at Wittenham Clumps, near Didcot, on July 27 to watch the demolition.

A specific date and time for the demolition of the three remaining cooling towers has not yet been decided.

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