British Nuclear Group has received consent from UK safety authorities to end power production at the Dungeness A station in southern England.
The 438MW reactor opened in 1965, and the last electricity will be produced at the end of this year. The buildings will be demolished by 2021, but the site will not be officially declared clear until 2111.
The news of the shut-down comes as the UK prepares to close the majority of its existing nuclear reactors, with only the most modern – Sizewell B in Suffolk – set to continue operations after 2026.
To combat a looming energy gap, the UK government has given the green light in its recent energy review to build a new fleet of reactors.