The Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) is about to embark on a massive investment programme to reduce the emissions of sulfur dioxide from UK coal-fired power stations. Work is beginning on the £400M flue gas desulphurization (FGD) plant at the Drax power station in North Yorkshire. And further projects, worth up to £1 billion, will be needed to meet the European Community's aims to cut sulfur dioxide emissions from power stations by 60% by the year 2003. This article presents an overview of the CEGB effort to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from combustion plants and of the FGD scene in general.