The first power station on the site was built in 1921 by the Sheffield Corporation, to support the steel industry in the Lower Don Valley.

[2] Blackburn Meadows operated in conjunction with Neepsend and Kelham Island power stations.

Most of the station was demolished following the closure in October 1980, but two of the cooling towers were left standing until August 2008.

For safety reasons the Tinsley cooling towers could not easily be demolished, and were left standing unused for a further 27 years after closure of the station.

[11] The plant, which is operated by E.ON UK, was commissioned in the summer of 2014, and power is generated by burning waste wood, sourced from the United Kingdom.

E.ON have created a community benefits fund, which will be used to support local projects while the plant is operational, and this will include the building of a visitor centre to explain the energy generation process and to interpret the industrial heritage of the location.