Newbury power station

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Newbury power station
Newbury power station
CountryEngland
LocationNewbury Berkshire
Coordinates 51°24′07″N01°18′53″W / 51.40194°N 1.31472°W / 51.40194; -1.31472 Coordinates: 51°24′07″N01°18′53″W / 51.40194°N 1.31472°W / 51.40194; -1.31472
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Commission date 1905
Decommission date1970
Owner(s) Urban Electric Supply Company Limited
(1901–1937)
Wessex Electricity Company
(1937–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1970)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelDiesel fuel
Turbine technologyDiesel engines
Power generation
Units operational2 x 1050 kW, 2 x 180 kW, 1 x 110 kW
Nameplate capacity 2.57 MW
Annual net output 1762 MWh (1956)
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Newbury power station supplied electricity to the town of Newbury, Berkshire and the surrounding area from 1905 to 1970. It was owned and operated by a succession of public and private organisations. It comprised, at various times, hydro-electric, gas engine and diesel engine powered plant with a maximum output capacity of 2.57 MW.

Contents

History

The Board of Trade granted Newbury Corporation a Provisional Order in 1892 to generate and supply electricity to Newbury under the Electric Lighting Acts. [1] This was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 3) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. c. xxxviii). [2] However, the town council did not develop the electricity undertaking.

In 1901 the Urban Electric Supply Company Limited obtained a Provisional Order to supply electricity to Newbury. The Urban Electric Supply Company was founded in 1898 to obtain Parliamentary powers to operate smaller electric light and tramway undertakings. [3] The company's Provisional Order for Newbury was confirmed by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 7) Act 1901 (1 Edw. 7. c. clxxiv). [4]

The Urban Electric Supply Company built the power station at Greenham Mill (51° 24’ 07”N, 1° 18’ 53”W) [5] over the River Kennet and which opened in January 1905. It used water wheels to generate electricity; the maximum head of water over Greenham weir was 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 metres). [6] In addition to the hydro-electric plant, gas-fired generators were installed at the power station. [7]

Electricity was sold to customers in 1923 at 9.57 d./kWh for lighting and domestic use, and 3.26 d./kWh for power uses. The financial operating summary for the undertaking was as follows: [7]

Newbury electricity undertaking financial summary 1922–23
Year19221923
Expenditure charged to capital account£72,204£71,992
Revenue from sale of current£11,106£12,293
Total revenue from working£11,850£13,040
Total working costs£6,114£6,250
Surplus of revenue over expenses£5,488£6,556
Gross  surplus£5,564£6,664

In 1937 the Wessex Electricity Company , assumed ownership of several small municipal and company electricity undertakings, including Newbury. The Wessex company was founded in 1927 to distribute electricity across south-west England. [8] It aimed to modernise, rationalise and integrate the distribution networks of its constituent companies. Its share capital was wholly owned by Edmondson's Electricity Corporation Limited .

The water wheels and gas engines were decommissioned and replaced with diesel engine sets. [9]

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

Newbury power station closed in about 1970. [12]

Plant equipment

Plant in 1923

The generating plant at Newbury in 1923 comprised: [7]

This gave a total output of 672 kW.

Electricity was provided to customers at 480 and 240 Volts direct current. [7]

Plant in 1955

The generating plant at Newbury in 1955 comprised: [9]

The total generating capacity was 2.57 MW. [9]

Operations

Operations 1921-23

Electricity supply data for 1921-23 was: [7]

Newbury power station electricity supply data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh183165186
Public lightingMWh000
PowerMWh409363360
Bulk supplyMWh000
Total useMWh592528546

Electricity Loads on the system were: [7]

Year192119221923
Maximum loadkW300298348
Total connectionskW159316641746
Load factorPer cent25.925.022.2

Operations 1946-67

The operating data for Newbury power station was: [9] [13] [14]

Newbury power station operating data, 1946–67
YearRunning hours or load factor (per cent)Max output capacity kWElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
1946––187–
195472552022760.2
1955467262076062.1
19569542620176270.5
1957312257054768.2
19585642570105572.8
19612.6%300058431.99
19623.1%300069532.17
19635.10%2000133932.40
196714.7%3880494031.74

See also

Related Research Articles

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Aberystwyth power station supplied electricity to the town of Aberystwyth from 1895 to the 1970s. The oil-engine station was operated by a succession of private and public owners including Aberystwyth Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948. The power station, with an ultimate capacity of 5 MW, was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced.

The Macclesfield group power stations are three relatively small electric power stations at Alderley Edge, Buxton, and Macclesfield, England. They supplied electricity to their respective towns from 1890s to the 1960s. The oil-engine stations were operated by a succession of private and public owners prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. The power stations were redeveloped as a group in the 1950s as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced.

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Burnley power station supplied electricity to the town of Burnley, Lancashire from 1893 to 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.

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.

Lymington power station supplied electricity to the town of Lymington, Hampshire and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1959. The electricity generating station was owned and operated by a succession of electricity companies prior to nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The station was initially coal-fired but later oil engines were installed. Lymington power station was closed on 31 March 1959.

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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.

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Ramsgate power station supplied electricity to the town of Ramsgate, Kent, England and the surrounding area from 1905 to 1958. The station was operated by the Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The coal-fired power station had a maximum electricity generating capacity of 2 MW.

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.

Guildford power station supplied electricity to the town of Guildford and the surrounding area from 1896 to 1967. The power station was built and operated by the Guildford Electricity Supply Company Limited. In 1921 it was acquired by the Guildford Corporation which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

References

  1. ↑ Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3. London: P. S. King and Son. p. 254.
  2. ↑ "Local Acts 1892". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Urban Electric Supply". The Times. 31 July 1905.
  4. ↑ "Local Acts 1901". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, Berkshire XLIII.1 (Greenham; Newbury), revised 1932, published 1934
  6. ↑ Nicholson (2014). Waterways Guide River Thames and the Southern Waterways. Glasgow: Nicholson. p. 99. ISBN   9780007493814.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 212–215, 496–501.
  8. ↑ "Wessex Electricity Company". The Times. 9 June 1939. p. 19.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Garrett, Frederick (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-79 A-143.
  10. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 60, 69, 73. ISBN   085188105X.
  12. ↑ The station is listed in the CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967 but not in the 1972 edition
  13. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 15.
  14. ↑ CEGB Annual Report 1961-63, CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967, 1972
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