diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.cpp b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.cpp
index 8500ac2ef..2bdb4f468 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.cpp
@@ -670,13 +670,6 @@ initFromRestartFile(const RestartValue& restartValues,
     initial_step_ = false;
 }
 
-void
-BlackoilWellModelGeneric::
-setWellsActive(const bool wells_active)
-{
-    wells_active_ = wells_active;
-}
-
 std::vector<Well>
 BlackoilWellModelGeneric::
 getLocalWells(const int timeStepIdx) const
diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.hpp b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.hpp
index cbf916b4b..cae7cb23b 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModelGeneric.hpp
@@ -143,8 +143,6 @@ public:
                              const size_t numCells,
                              bool handle_ms_well);
 
-    void setWellsActive(const bool wells_active);
-
     /*
       Will assign the internal member last_valid_well_state_ to the
       current value of the this->active_well_state_. The state stored