Chesterfield power station

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Chesterfield power station
Chesterfield power station
CountryEngland
LocationChesterfield Derbyshire
Coordinates 53°14′10″N01°26′21″W / 53.23611°N 1.43917°W / 53.23611; -1.43917 Coordinates: 53°14′10″N01°26′21″W / 53.23611°N 1.43917°W / 53.23611; -1.43917
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1898
Commission date 1901
Decommission date1958
Owner(s)Chesterfield Corporation
(1900–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Power generation
Nameplate capacity 6.9 MW (1923)
Annual net output 15,618 MWh (1946)
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Chesterfield power station supplied electricity to the town of Chesterfield, Derbyshire from 1901 to 1958. The electricity generating station was owned and operated by Chesterfield Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced, and had a generating capacity of 6.9 MW in the 1920s. The station closed on 1 April 1958.

Contents

History

Chesterfield was the location of a pioneering electricity system in the 1880s. [1] In 1881 Hammond and Company lit Chesterfield’s main streets with 8 arc lamps from a generator installed in the yard of the Theatre Royal. By the end of the year 22 arc lamps were in service. Two 20 horse power (14.7 kW) compound engines coupled to Brush dynamos were installed along the River Hipper. These were capable of supplying 80 arc lamps and 640 incandescent lamps. The supply system included 15 miles (24 km) of overhead conductors. The system was uneconomic and was shutdown in 1884. Street lighting reverted to gas lamps. [1]

In 1894 Chesterfield Corporation applied for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town. This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c. xlix). [2] However, little progress was made with construction.

In 1898 a group of manufacturers in the Chesterfield area promoted the General Power Distribution Company. [3] This was intended to compete with municipal electricity undertakings and provide supplies to an area with a million people. The municipal authorities lobbied to oppose the scheme and the Bill was rejected by Parliament. [3]

The Corporation eventually built a power station at Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield (53°14'10"N 1°26'21"W) [4] which first supplied electricity to the town in 1901. [5] The power station also supplied electricity for the Chesterfield Corporation Tramways which operated a tram service from 1904 to 1927. [6]

Chesterfield Corporation owned the power station and electricity supply system until nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. [7] Under nationalisation the Chesterfield electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of the power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). [1] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Chesterfield electricity undertaking were transferred to the East Midlands Electricity Board (EMEB).

The power station continued to operate for a decade after nationalisation until it was closed on 1 April 1958, [5] and was subsequently demolished. The site has been redeveloped with commercial premises.

Technical specifications

In 1923 the generating plant comprised: [8]

These machines had a total generating capacity of 6,880 kW, of which 1,480 kW was DC and 5,400 kW AC. [8]

Electricity supplies were available to consumers at:

The end use of electricity over the period 1921–23 was: [8]

Chesterfield electricity use 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh472539803
Public lightingMWh231725
TractionMWh573499468
PowerMWh3,4382,2632,486
Bulk supplyMWh000
Total useMWh4,5053,3183,782

The operating parameters of the electricity system were: [8]

Chesterfield electricity system 1921–23
OperatingUnitsYear
192119221923
Maximum loadkW2,81624742892
Total connectionskW685469907374
Load factorPer cent22.419.919.4

Revenue from sales of current was £42,960 (1922) and £35,903 (1923). The surplus of revenue over expenses £14,655 (1922) and £17,914 (1923). [8]

The electricity output and operating data in the final years was: [5] [9]

Chesterfield power station output and operating data
YearRunning hours (load factor %)Max. Output capacity MWElectricity supplied MWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1946(30.1 %)5.91 (max load supplied)15,61811.65
1954276739,3308.13
1955172833,8487.76
1956130833,2917.75
195786531,8707.24
195832020,4925.30

See also

Related Research Articles

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.

Burton upon Trent power station supplied electricity to the town of Burton upon Trent and the wider area from 1894 to 1976. It was owned and operated by Burton upon Trent 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 1910s, in 1924–28 and 1941–43. The station was decommissioned in October 1976.

County of London Electric Supply Company

The County of London Electric Supply Company Limited was a British electricity undertaking. It was incorporated as a public company in 1891 to generate and supply electricity to parts of south west London and two parishes adjacent to the City of London. It owned and operated power stations at Wandsworth and City Road. From 1925 it cooperated with three other London companies, with the intention of centralising electricity generation in the new, high thermal efficiency, power station at Barking. The company was abolished in March 1948 upon the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry.

Halifax power station supplied electricity to the town of Halifax and the wider area from 1894 to the 1960s. It was owned and operated by Halifax Corporation until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times and at its peak had a generating capacity of 48 MW.

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.

Stafford power station supplied electricity to the town of Stafford, England and the surrounding area from 1895 to 1958. It was owned and operated by Stafford Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped in the 1920s, but after 1935 it was a standby plant used at times of peak demand. Stafford power station was decommissioned in 1958.

South Shields power station supplied electricity to the borough of South Shields and the surrounding area from 1896 to 1958. It was owned and operated by South Shields Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to meet increasing demand It was decommissioned in 1958.

Wolverhampton power station, also known as Commercial Road power station, supplied electricity to the Borough of Wolverhampton, England and the surrounding area from 1895 to 1976. It was redeveloped in several stages to meet growing demand for electricity: including the addition of new plant in 1902 to 1908, 1925 and 1942. The power station was initially owned and operated by Wolverhampton Corporation, but was transferred to the West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority in 1928. The British Electricity Authority assumed ownership at nationalisation in 1948. Wolverhampton power station was decommissioned in 1976.

Hounslow power station generated and supplied electricity to the district of Hounslow, Heston and Isleworth in west London from 1904 to 1964. Originally steam powered, diesel engine generators were added in the 1950s.The station was owned and operated by Heston and Isleworth Borough Council until the nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced until its closure in 1964.

Burnley power station supplied electricity to the town of Burnley, Lancashire from 1893 to the 1958. The electricity station was owned and operated by Burnley Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced, and had an ultimate generating capacity of 8 MW in the 1920s. The station closed in 1958.

Rochdale power station supplied electricity to the town of Rochdale, Lancashire from 1901 to the 1958. The coal-fired power station was owned and operated by Rochdale Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced, and had an ultimate generating capacity of 10.7 MW in the 1920s. The station closed on 1 April 1958.

Sutton Coldfield power station supplied electricity to the town of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham from 1901 to 1959. The electricity generating station was owned and operated by Sutton Coldfield Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was closed in 1959 when it had a generating capacity of 1.0 MW.

The Cardiff power stations supplied electricity to the City of Cardiff and the surrounding area from 1894 to about 1970. The original power station was in Riverside; a larger replacement station was built in Roath in the 1902, initially to supply the tramway system. They were both owned and operated by Cardiff Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The Roath power station was redeveloped in the 1920s and 1940s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

The Newport power stations supplied electricity to the town of Newport and the surrounding area from 1895 to the late 1970s. The original power station was in Llanarth Street which supplied electric lighting; a larger station, known as the East power station, was built in Corporation Road from 1903. They were owned and operated by Newport Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The East power station was redeveloped in the 1920s and 1940s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Nelson power station supplied electricity to the town of Nelson, Lancashire and the surrounding area from 1892 to 1960. The power station was owned and operated by Nelson Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped in 1922 to 1925 to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Warrington power station supplied electricity to the town of Warrington, Lancashire and the surrounding area from about 1900 to 1979. The power station was initially developed by the Warrington and District Electric Light and Power Company Limited, this was taken over by Warrington Corporation, which operated the power station prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

St Helens power station supplied electricity to the Borough of St Helens and the surrounding area from 1896 to the late 1960s. The power station was developed by the St Helens Corporation which operated it up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Folkestone power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Folkestone and the surrounding area from 1898 to 1960. The power station was built by the Folkestone Electricity Supply Company Limited which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped in the 1920s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Southport power station supplied electricity to the town of Southport and the surrounding area from 1894 to the late 1960s. The power station was built by the Southport Corporation which operated it up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. Birkdale power station was operated by the Birkdale District Electric Supply Company Limited and originally supplied Birkdale Urban District until the district was incorporated into the Borough of Southport in 1911.

Bristol power stations supplied electricity to the City of Bristol and the surrounding area from 1893 to 1959. Temple Back and Avonbank power stations were built by the Bristol Corporation which operated them up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 17, 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN   085188105X.
  2. ↑ "Local Acts 1894". legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. p. 25. ISBN   0333220862.
  4. ↑ Ordnance Survey 25 inch England Derbyshire XXV.6 (Chesterfield), revised 1914, published 1918.
  5. 1 2 3 Garrett, Frederick C. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-45, A-117.
  6. ↑ Turner, Keith (1996). The Directory of British Tramways. Patrick Stephens. ISBN   978-1-85260-549-0.
  7. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2020-06-12. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 22–25, 266–271.
  9. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 7.
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