The move is in line EU’s large combustion plant directive ordered highly polluting power plants to close after generating for 20,000 hours from 1 January 2008 or at the end of 2015, depending on which comes first.
The 1,940MW coal-fired power station, originally commissioned in 1970, will have reached the end of its allocated running hours by March next year and will be taken off-line.
E.ON UK CEO Dr Tony Cocker said Kingsnorth has played a huge part in powering the country for many decades.
"We’ve been working hard with colleagues at the station to help, guide and support them through the process which will be ongoing until the station closes. In addition to our colleagues we will be communicating with the local community in the coming weeks about our closure plans," said Cocker.
E.ON is also withdrawing its application for development consent for two new coal units at the site.
The units were to be fitted with carbon capture and storage technology.
