Central Electricity Board

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Central Electricity Board
Company typeGovernment regulatory body
IndustryEnergy: Electricity
FoundedFebruary 1927
Defunct31 March 1948
FateIndustry nationalisation
Successor British Electricity Authority
HeadquartersTrafalgar Buildings, 1 Charing Cross,
London SW1
,
United Kingdom
Area served
Great Britain
Key people
See section in text
ServicesRegulation of electricity industry
Number of employees
1248 (1934)

The United Kingdom Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established by the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926. It had the duty to supply electricity to authorised electricity undertakers, to determine which power stations would be 'selected' stations to generate electricity for the board, to provide main transmission lines to interconnect selected stations and electricity undertakers, and to standardise generating frequency.

Contents

History

In 1925 Lord Weir chaired a committee that proposed the creation of the Central Electricity Board to link the UK’s most efficient power stations with consumers via a ‘national gridiron’. At that time, the industry consisted of more than 600 electricity supply companies and local authority undertakings, and different areas operated at different voltages and frequencies (including DC in some places). The board's first chairman was Andrew Duncan.

The CEB established the UK's first synchronised AC grid, running at 132 kilovolts and 50 Hertz, which by 1933 was a collection of local grids, with emergency interlinks, covering most of England. This started operating as a national system, the National Grid, in 1938.

After completion of the National Grid the role of the CEB changed from planning and construction to operating and managing the regional grid systems. [1]

The CEB established laboratories at Croydon and Waddon to undertake research on high voltage transmission problems. [2]

The CEB co-existed with the Electricity Commissioners, an industry regulator responsible to the Ministry of Transport.

The CEB ceased to exist when the electricity industry was nationalised by the Electricity Act 1947 and taken over by the British Electricity Authority.

Key people

Chairmen

There were four chairmen of the Central Electricity Board between 1927 and 1948:

The board

Upon its establishment in 1927 the Board comprised a full-time chairman and seven part-time members, all appointed by the Minister of Transport. [5] The inaugural part-time members were:

Other key CEB staff

Under the board were a general manager, secretary, chief engineer, commercial manager and support sections. [5] Some key people were:

Earley power station

In 1940 the Electricity Commissioners in agreement with the Central Electricity Board proposed a programme of new generating capacity to mitigate war risks and the growth in demand associated with the development of munitions factories. [2] The programme entailed the installation of 180 MW of plant in four existing stations and two new stations one at Earley east of Reading ( 51°27.6899′N0°55.5858′W / 51.4614983°N 0.9264300°W / 51.4614983; -0.9264300 ) and the other at Castle Meads, Gloucester. [2] Earley was the only power station owned by the CEB; it was operated by Edmundsons Electricity Corporation until nationalisation in 1948.

The supply from Earley commenced on 8 December 1942, only 22 months after the start of construction. [2] The plant initially comprised a Parsons 40 MW steam turbo-alternator fed from three boilers with a total steam capacity of 600,000 lb/hr at 635 psi at 850 °F (75.6 kg/s, 43.8 bar at 454 °C). [7] The boilers were fed with pulverised coal. The plant was extended in 1944–45 with a second 40 MW set and boilers with a capacity of 400,000 lb/hr (50.4 kg/s). [7] A third 40 MW set with 400,000 lb/hr boilers was installed in 1945–47. In its final configuration there were seven International Combustion boilers each with a capacity of 200,000 lb/hr (25.2 kg/s). [7] Generation was at 33 kV and transmission at 33 kV and 132 kV. Cooling water was abstracted from the river. [7]

Upon nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 the ownership of Earley power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). [2]

Earley was also the site of a pioneering main-service gas turbine, this was a 56 MW machine driven by four Rolls-Royce Avon jet engines and was commissioned in 1965. A second diesel-fired gas turbine was installed later. [2]

The operating parameters and electricity output of Earley power station is given in the following table. [7] [8] [9] [10]

Earley power station
YearMaximum output capacity, MWRunning hours or load factor, %Electricity output, GWhThermal efficiency, %
1946(52.5 %)376.31225.18
1947120399.409
1948120539.020
19541147635396.87924.71
19551146947400.61624.46
19561147078418.77525.00
19571146577398.31224.95
19581145988325.20124.46
196111422.0  %219.32823.99
196211424.3  %242.59424.31
196311420.55  %205.23624.21
196711437.7 %376.77224.35
111 (GT)8.8 %85.66323.04
197211428.4  %284.70323.82
111 (GT)6.0  %58.21922.15
1979111 (GT)0.6  %6.00119.40
1981111 (GT)–0.145–
1982111 (GT)0.1  %1.26514.35

The steam plant and generators were decommissioned in the 1970s. The gas-turbine plant and the whole station were decommissioned in 1982, the two chimneys demolished in 1982.

Locations

The CEB headquarters was at Trafalgar Buildings, 1 Charing Cross, London SW1. There was also an establishment at Horsley Towers, East Horsley, Surrey.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doncaster Power Station</span>

Doncaster Power Station refers to two coal-fired electricity generating stations situated in the centre of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Doncaster A provided electricity to the town from 1900 to 1958, and the B station from 1953 to 1983.

The Norwich power stations were a sequence of electricity generating stations that provided electric power to the City of Norwich and the wider area between 1893 and 1986. The first station in Duke Street began operating in 1893, a new power station at Thorpe was in service from 1926 to 1967, this was supplemented with a 'high pressure' station, 1937–1975, and finally a gas turbine station operated from 1964–1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huncoat Power Station</span> Former electricity generating station

Huncoat Power Station was located in Huncoat near Accrington, Lancashire. It was a 150 MW, coal-fired, electricity generating station in operation from 1952 to 1984. It has since been demolished. Huncoat power station replaced the earlier Accrington power station that had supplied electricity to the town since 1900.

Carlisle power stations were two electricity generating stations that supplied electricity to Carlisle and the surrounding area from 1899 until 1980. The first power station (1899–1927) was in the centre of the city near Nelson Bridge, and the second larger station was at Willow Holme North-West of the city (1923–1980).

Stourport power stations were two electricity generating stations that supplied electricity to Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire and to the wider West Midlands area from 1927 to 1984. The two stations, A (1927–78) and B (1950–84), were collocated on a joint site adjacent to the River Severn south of Stourport-on-Severn.

The Lancaster power stations provided electricity to the Lancashire town and city of Lancaster and the surrounding area from 1894 to 1976. The first power station was built and operated by Lancaster Corporation and started generating electricity in April 1894. The second power station was built during the First World War near the Lune Aqueduct to provide electric power for a munitions factory. When the factory closed after the war the power station was purchased by the corporation to provide electric power throughout its supply area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby power station</span> Former coal-fired power station in England

Derby power station supplied electricity to the city of Derby and the surrounding area from 1893 to 1969. The power station was built and operated by Derby Corporation and started generating electricity in October 1893. It was located in Silkmill Lane in the town centre adjacent to the River Derwent from which it drew its cooling water. The power station was extended in the 1920s and 1940s. It was closed in 1969 and was subsequently demolished.

The Percival Lane power station in Runcorn was built and operated by the Mersey Power Company Limited. It comprised two stations A and B commissioned in 1921 and 1941. The station supplied electricity to commercial, industrial and domestic users over a wide area of 95 square miles around the River Mersey including Widnes, Ellesmere Port and Runcorn.

Portsmouth power station supplied electricity to Portsmouth and the surrounding area from 1894 to until 1977. The power station was built and operated by Portsmouth Corporation and started supplying electricity on 6 June 1894. It was located in St Mary Street and was redeveloped several times: including major rebuilds in 1927–29 and in 1938–1952, and expanded into a larger plot. The power station was closed in 1977; the two chimneys were demolished in 1981 and the main buildings in 1982.

Huddersfield power station supplied electricity to the town of Huddersfield and the wider area from 1893 to 1981. It was owned and operated by Huddersfield Corporation until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s, and in the 1930s to 1950s. The station was decommissioned in October 1981.

Lombard Road power station supplied electricity to the Battersea area of South-East London from 1901 to 1972. It was owned and operated by the Borough of Battersea until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s and the 1930s. The station was decommissioned in 1972.

The Thornhill power station generated and supplied electricity to the town of Dewsbury and the wider regional area from 1902 to 1982, and again from 1998. The first generating station on the site was owned and operated by the Yorkshire Electric Power Company. Following nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 Thornhill power station was operated by a succession of state owned bodies. The power station was redeveloped with new plant in 1915, 1925, 1932–37 and 1950–54. The coal-fired steam station was decommissioned in 1982, and was subsequently demolished. A gas turbine power station on the site was commissioned in 1998.

Lister Drive power station was a series of generating stations that supplied electricity to the City of Liverpool and the wider area from 1900 until 1980. They were owned and collaboratively operated by Liverpool Corporation and Marcus Kemp Coal Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was developed in several phases: designated No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 stations. A gas turbine station was commissioned in March 1965.

Gravesend power station was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply the local demand for electricity for lighting. It was built to the west of the municipal gas works, south east of the basin on the Thames and Medway canal. The power station operated until 1970 the buildings were reused but were demolished in 1995.

Wandsworth power station supplied electricity to the London district of Wandsworth and to Putney, Tooting Graveney, Streatham and Clapham from 1897 to 1964. It was owned and operated by the County of London Electric Lighting Company Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped during its operational life until it was decommissioned in 1964.

Barrow-in-Furness power station supplied electricity to the town of Barrow-in-Furness and the wider area of Lancashire, England from 1899 to about 1960. It was owned and operated by Barrow-in-Furness Corporation until the nationalisation of the UK electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped throughout its operational life. Barrow-in-Furness Corporation also operated Coniston hydro-electric power station.

Fleetwood power stations were two generating stations that supplied electricity to the town of Fleetwood, England and the surrounding area from 1900 to 1981. The first station was owned by the Fleetwood and District Electric Light and Power Syndicate and later by Fleetwood Urban District Council. The second station was owned and operated by the state following the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948; this power station was decommissioned in October 1981.

Wallasey power station supplied electricity to the town of Wallasey and the surrounding area from 1897. It was owned and operated by Wallasey Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1920s and 1950. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salisbury power station</span>

Salisbury power station supplied electricity to the English city of Salisbury and the surrounding area from 1898 to c. 1970. It was owned and operated by Salisbury Electric Light and Supply Company Limited prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to incorporate new plant to replace retired equipment. The facilities included a water driven turbine.

Trafford power station supplied electricity to the Trafford and Stretford areas of Greater Manchester, and to the national grid, from 1929 to 1976. The generating station was built by the Stretford and District Electricity Board which it operated until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The 60 megawatt coal-fired station was supplemented in 1952 with an experimental 15 megawatt gas turbine generating set.

References

  1. ↑ Leslie Hannah p.122
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 48, 56. ISBN   085188105X.
  3. ↑ "ODNB Archibald Page". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 24 September 2004. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Johnstone Wright". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. 1 2 Leslie Hannah pp. 103-08, 122-4
  6. ↑ "Sir James Lyne Devonshire". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56 1958-9. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-53, A-120.
  8. ↑ GEGB Annual report and Accounts, CEGB 1960/1, 1961/2,1962/3
  9. ↑ CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1972, 1978-9, 1981, 1982-82, CEGB
  10. ↑ Electricity Commission, Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31st December 1946. London: HMSO, 1947.

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