Nelson power station

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Nelson power station
Nelson power station
Country England
Location Nelson, Lancashire
Coordinates 53°50′48″N02°12′28″W / 53.84667°N 2.20778°W / 53.84667; -2.20778 Coordinates: 53°50′48″N02°12′28″W / 53.84667°N 2.20778°W / 53.84667; -2.20778
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1890
Commission date 1892
Decommission date1960
Owner(s)Nelson Corporation
(1883–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1960)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam turbines
Cooling sourceCanal water
Power generation
Units operational1 × 3 MW, 1 × 3.3 MW, 1 × 6.45 MW
Make and modelBrush-Ljungstrom
Nameplate capacity 12.75 MW
Annual net output 8,079 MWh (1946)
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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.

Contents

History

In 1883 Nelson 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. 4) Act 1883 (46 & 47  Vict. c. ccxvi). [1] The power station was built in Charles Street, Nelson (53° 50′ 48″ N, 2° 12′ 28″ W) [2] and it first supplied electricity in 1892. [3] Further equipment was added to meet the rising demand for electricity; by the 1920s it had a generating capacity of 6,400 kW. [4]

In 1900 a system was inaugurated by Nelson Corporation to generate electricity from domestic refuse. [5]

From the system's establishment in February 1903 the power station supplied electric current to Nelson Corporation Tramways. [6] The tram system was decommissioned in January 1934.

Nelson Corporation charged more for electricity than any other electricity undertaking in the North West. In 1913 Nelson Corporation charged 2.42 d./kWh, compared to Manchester Corporation which charge 1.02 d./kWh. [7]

In 1928 Nelson power station became a 'selected' station in the North West England and North Wales Electricity Scheme. The Central Electricity Board imposed restrictions on the working and use of the station. [8]

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6 c. 54). [9] The Nelson electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Nelson power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). [5] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Nelson electricity undertaking were transferred to the North Western Electricity Board (NORWEB).

Nelson power station was decommissioned in about 1960. [10] There is a 132 kV electricity sub-station on the site. [11]

Equipment specification

In 1895 the plant comprised Willans engines coupled directly to Holmes and Siemens dynamos. The plant had a maximum load of 89 kW. [3]

By 1922 the plant comprised boilers delivering 75,000 lb/h (9.44 kg/s) of steam to:

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 6,400 kW comprising 6,000 kW of alternating current (AC) plus 400 kW of direct current (DC). [4]

Electricity supplies available to consumers were:

Plant in 1922–25

New plant was commissioned in 1922 to 1925. This comprised: [12]

The total generating capacity was 12.75 MW  at 6.6 kV. [12]

Condenser cooling water was drawn from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool canal. [12]

Operations

Operating data 1898

Electricity sold: to consumers 68,768 kWh. [3]

No. of lamps on circuits: 5,108

Revenue from sales of electricity was £1,345; the cost of generation was £324. [3]

Operating data 1921–23

The electricity supply data for the period 1921–23 was: [4]

Nelson power station supply data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh591.8725.4790.0
Public lightingMWh000
TractionMWh302.262.1554.0
PowerMWh639.6627.71,111.6
Bulk supplyMWh108.2106.51,484.9
Total useMWh1,641.81,521.83,940.5

Electricity Loads on the system were: [4]

Year192119221923
Maximum loadkW8269802,800
Total connectionskW5,2005,7135,975
Load factorPer cent25.320.022.9

Revenue from sales of current (in 1923) was £44,060; the surplus of revenue over expenses (1923) was £22,737. [4]

Operating data 1946

In 1946 Nelson power station supplied 8,079 MWh of electricity, the maximum output load was 6,600 MW. [13]

Operating data 1954–58

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was: [12]

Nelson power station operating data, 1954–58
YearRunning hours or load factor (per cent)Max output capacity  MWElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
195476362,79511.29
195558162,17310.54
195627759559.57
195749741,4419.18
195813642224.22

See also

Related Research Articles

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Grimsby power station supplied electricity to the town of Grimsby, England and the surrounded area from 1901 to the late 1960s. It was owned and operated by Grimsby Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped in the 1920s and 1930s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Leeds power station, also known as Whitehall Road power station, supplied electricity to the city of Leeds and the surrounding area from 1893 to 1965. It was initially built, owned and operated by the Yorkshire House-to-House Electricity Company Limited. Leeds Corporation took over the electricity undertaking in 1898 and generated and distributed electricity until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to meet increasing demand for electricity.

Greenhill power station supplied electricity to the town of Oldham, England and the surrounding area from 1921 to 1960. It replaced the older Rhodes Bank generating station and was superseded by Chadderton B power station. Greenhill power station was owned and operated by Oldham Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was built over the period 1921–24 and was decommissioned in 1960.

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.

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.

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.

Woking power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Woking and the surrounding area from 1890 to 1960. The power station was operated by the Woking Electric Supply Company Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped after the First World War to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Luton power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Luton and the surrounding area from 1901 to 1969. The power station was operated by the Luton Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped after the First World War to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Tunbridge Wells power station supplied electricity to the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area from 1895 to 1968. The power station was built by the Tunbridge Wells Corporation which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

Harrogate power station supplied electricity to the town of Harrogate and the surrounding area from 1897 to 1960. The power station was built by the Harrogate Corporation which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

References

  1. ↑ "Local Acts 1883". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Ordnance Survey 6 inch England and Wales, Lancashire LVI.NE (includes: Barrowford; Colne; Nelson.), revised 1909 to 1910, published 1914
  3. 1 2 3 4 Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3. London: P. S. King and Son. pp. 253–4.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 66–69, 302–07.
  5. 1 2 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 31, 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN   085188105X.
  6. ↑ "Nelson Corporation Tramways". tramwayinfo. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. p. 52. ISBN   0333220862.
  8. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1936). Electricity Commissioners, Sixteenth Annual Report April 1935 to March 1936. London: HMSO. p. 180.
  9. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  10. ↑ Nelson power station is mentioned in Garrett (1959), but not the CEGB Annual Report 1961
  11. ↑ "Open Infrastructure Map". Open Infrastructure Map. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Garrett, Frederick (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-79 A-128.
  13. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 11.
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