The Tilbury power stations are two fossil fuel power stations on the north bank of the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex. The 1,428 MW Tilbury B Power Station has operated since 1967 and fires coal, as well as co-firing oil and biomass. The former oil-fired 360 MW Tilbury A Power Station operated from 1956 until 1981 when it was mothballed. The current system generates enough electricity to meet the electrical requirements of 1.4 million people, equivalent to 80% of the population of Essex.