National Grid ESO has asked energy firm Uniper to fire up a coal unit of its power station in Ratcliffe-on-Soar, central England, according to a source close to the matter.
The source added the coal unit was for potential use on Monday afternoon, as increasing numbers of Britons switch on air conditioning and fans to cool down as temperatures increase.
Temperatures in Britain could exceed 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday and remain high this week, forecasters say.
"It is a sign of failure that the National Grid is turning to one of the most polluting forms of power generation to deal with a summer heatwave that we know has been made worse because of climate change," said Greenpeace campaigner Ami McCarthy.
"Why has the government left us caught in this doom loop spiral of using coal to tackle the impacts of a warming planet, when we have far better, greener, and cheaper solutions?"
McCarthy added that the government should help insulate homes properly to keep them cool in the summer months and warm in the winter -- and urged it to implement greater use of solar power during warmer weather.
Despite Monday's announcement, Britain plans to scrap coal-powered electricity generation by late 2024, as part of its aim to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and tackle climate change.
However, the government prompted fury last year when it approved a new coal mine in Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District National Park in northwest England.
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