Northern Ireland Electricity

Last updated

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited
Company typePrivate (subsidiary of ESB Group)
IndustryEnergy
Founded1991
HeadquartersNorthern Ireland
RevenueIncrease2.svg £302.5 million (2022)
Decrease2.svg £117.1 million (2022)
Increase2.svg £57.3 million (2022)
Number of employees
Increase2.svg 1367 (Dec 2022)
Parent ESB Group
Website www.nienetworks.co.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Footnotes /references
[1]

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited (NIE Networks) is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland, established in 1993 when the business was privatised. NIE Networks does not generate or supply electricity. Since 2010 it has been a subsidiary of ESB Group.

Contents

NIE Networks has three transmission interconnectors with the transmission grid in the Republic of Ireland. The main interconnector was built in 1970 between Tandragee and Louth but The Troubles saw the interconnector destroyed in 1975 and left in that state for twenty years until repair. [2]

NIE Networks should not be confused with Power NI, its own former supply business, which was not part of the sale to the ESB and remains owned by Energia. NIE Energy changed its name to Power NI on 25 July 2011, as ESB retained the NIE name in Northern Ireland. [3]

History

Background

Electricity supplies in Northern Ireland started in the early 1890s with the establishment of electricity undertakings by the Belfast and Londonderry City Corporations. The co-ordination of supplies took place in 1931 with the foundation of the Electricity Board for Northern Ireland. The ownership of the all public power stations in Northern Ireland was vested in the Electricity Board in 1949.

Belfast Corporation

Belfast Corporation Electricity Department gained the authority to generate and sell electricity under the provisions of the Belfast Electric Lighting Order 1890, confirmed by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No.7) Act 1890. The corporation's area of supply was 83 square miles with a population of 502,000 (1958). By 1958 there were three electricity generating stations at Belfast East, Belfast West and East Bridge. [4]

Belfast East power station (formerly Harbour power station) comprised eight turbo-alternator generating sets: 1 × 6 MW British Thomson-Houston, 2 × 15 MW, 1 × 18.75 MW and 4 × 30 MW Metropolitan Vickers, a total electricity capacity of 174.75 MW. These were supplied with up to 2,010,000 pounds per hour (253 kg/s) of steam from 18 Babcock and Stirling coal-fired boilers. [4]

Belfast West power station (formerly Victoria power station) comprised five turbo-alternator generating sets: 2 × 30 MW Parsons low pressure sets and 3 × 60 MW Parsons high pressure sets, giving a total capacity of 240 MW. The low pressure sets were supplied with up to a total of 540,000 pounds per hour (68 kg/s) of steam at 650 psi and 925 °F (44.8 bar and 496 °C) from four Clarke Chapman tri-drum coal-fired boilers. The high pressure sets were supplied with steam at 900 psi and 925 °F (62 bar and 496 °C) from three Babcock & Wilcox radiant open pass type coal-fired boilers (each 220,000 lb/hr, 27.7 kg/s) and from six Mitchell two-drum coal-fired boilers (also each 220,000 lb/hr). [4]

The East Bridge power station comprised two 6 MW turbo-alternators supplied with up to 120,000 lb/hr (15.1 kg/s) of steam from two Stirling coal-fired boilers. [4]

From 1958 all the electricity generated was sold in bulk to the Northern Ireland Joint Electricity Committee (NIJEC), supplies for distribution by Belfast Corporation were purchased from the NIJEC. In the year ending 31 March 1958 the Corporation exported 702,993 GWh to the NIJEC and purchased 541.750 GWh. [4]

Consumers were supplied with a range of electric current: 220–380, 230–400 and 450–500 Volt AC and 220 and 440 Volt DC, and 550 V DC for traction. The growth in electricity supply is demonstrated in the table. [4] [5] [6]

Belfast Corporation electricity supply statistics
Year (ended 31 March)ConsumersElectricity sold, GWhRevenue from sales, £
194692,254374.2291,547,718
194796,956402.7821,568,493
1948102,748426.9371,725,653
1949107,595285.0241,476,917
1950114,618315.4711,637,869
1954135,679395.3102,443,836
1955138,866427.4652,661,437
1956141,987440.6182,882,817
1957146,730464.3073,297,157
1958149,627483.7403,673,790
1960155,066531.6034,272186
1961157,278572.2104,534,187

Londonderry Corporation

Londonderry Corporation Electricity Department gained the authority to generate and sell electricity under the provisions of the Londonderry Electric Lighting Order 1891 confirmed by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No.3) Act 1891. Further powers were given by the Londonderry Corporation Act 1918. Electricity supplies commenced in May 1894. [4] The corporation's supply area was 3.6 square miles with a population (in 1958) of 502,000. In 1958 the generating station comprised: two 1,000 kW Westinghouse, one 4,000 kW and two 6,000 kW Metropolitan Vickers turbo-alternators. There were also six rotary converters for the DC supply. The turbo-alternators were supplied with steam from two Babcock & Wilcox and four Yarrow coal-fired boilers. Consumer supplies were 220–440 Volts DC and 220–380 Volts AC. The electricity supply from the mid-1950s is shown in the table. [4] [5]

Londonderry Corporation electricity supply statistics
Year (ended 31 March)Electricity sold, GWhRevenue from sales, £
195427.685215,197
195530.554239,680
195635.260277,532
195738.954313,215
195842.722354,394
196041.991364,954
196133.763322,306

Electricity Board for Northern Ireland

The Electricity Board for Northern Ireland was established in 1931 under the provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Act (Northern Ireland) 1931. Its duty was to co-ordinate and improve the supply, distribution and sale of electricity. [4] The board's area of supply was 5,200 square miles, with a population of 825,000 and 208,000 premises. Several electricity development schemes were scheduled in the 1931 Act. For example, the first scheme included most of County Down and County Armagh and part of County Tyrone. The schemes culminated in an eighth scheme authorised in June 1947 to cover all remaining parts of Northern Ireland. [4]

Under the Electricity (Supply) Act (Northern Ireland) 1948 the Ministry of Commerce transferred to the Board all the electricity property and assets held by the Ministry including the power stations at Ballylumford and Larne. In 1957 the generating capacity of Ballylumford power station was 124.5 MW. There were 160,025 consumers, and 510.961 GWh of electricity were sold. [4]

The station at Curran Point Larne was used for winter peak loads and maintenance outages. In 1957 it generated 48.9 MWh. The Board also owned a hydro-electric station at Limavady. [4]

The Electricity (Supply) Act (Northern Ireland) 1948 also established the Northern Ireland Joint Electricity Committee (NIJEC). The committee had a duty to co-ordinate, control and improve the generation of electricity and primary transmission throughout Northern Ireland, to make adequate supplies available to electricity undertakings, and to encourage rural electrification. [4] The Board and other undertakings were required to sell to the NIJEC the electricity generated at Ballylumford, Larne, Belfast and Londonderry power stations which the NIJEC bought at cost of production. The NIJEC resold electricity at a standard tariff to the distributing authorities. [4]

In 1973 the Northern Ireland Electricity Service (NIES) was formed as a public utility to generate, transmit and supply electricity to Northern Ireland. [7]

During the Ulster Workers' Council strike in 1974, when electricity supplies were severely disrupted, the government considered generating power using a Royal Navy nuclear submarine in Belfast Lough but the idea was abandoned as being technically unfeasible. [8]

Establishment and divestments

In 1991, the company was incorporated as a government-owned public limited company, Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1992 the power stations at Belfast Harbour, Ballylumford, Coolkeeragh and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were demerged and sold. In 1993 the remainder of NIE (transmission, supply and retail businesses) was privatised as Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1998, Northern Ireland Electricity plc became part of Viridian Group plc, with Northern Ireland Electricity a subsidiary of that holding company.

NIE Networks sold SONI, the operator of the transmission network, to EirGrid in March 2009 for £30 million. [9]

Purchase by ESB

On 7 July 2010 BBC News reported that ESB was to purchase NIE for £1 billion. [10] In September 2010 unionist politicians Peter Robinson and Reg Empey wrote to the Taoiseach objecting to the transaction. They said it was "inappropriate" and that it amounted to the purchase of a "key component" of Northern Ireland's infrastructure. [11] ESB is a statutory corporation in the Republic of Ireland whose board members are appointed by the Irish government. The acquisition was completed in December 2010 at a reported cost of £1.2bn. [12]

NIE Networks remains an autonomous organisation with its own board and management teams, and separate regulation via the Utility Regulator.

Operations

Overview

The company's operations consist of ownership of the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Northern Ireland, consisting of 30,000 miles (49,000 kilometers) of overhead lines and underground cables, 75,000 pole-mounted transformers and 340 major substations. As of 2023, NIE Networks transports power to over 910,000 business and domestic customers. [13]

NIE Networks is also the electricity distribution network operator for Northern Ireland. [14] It is not the electricity transmission system operator, as this role is fulfilled by the System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI), [15] a subsidiary of EirGrid since 2009. [16]

Incident management

NIE Networks has developed a set of procedures for dealing with major incidents, such as storms and snow, driven by the Boxing Day Storm of 1998, during which 162,000 customers were off-supply. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballylumford Power Station</span> Gas-fired power station in Northern Ireland

Ballylumford power station "C" station is a natural-gas-fired power station in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK. With its main plant generating almost 700 megawatts of electricity, it is Northern Ireland's largest power station and provides half its power. Overall the station can produce 693 MW. The plant is located at the tip of the Islandmagee peninsula, which separates Larne Lough from the Irish Sea. The lough is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The 3 chimneys of the now decommissioned "B" station are 126 metres tall. East of the station is the Ballycronan More converter station, the Northern Ireland end of the Moyle Interconnector, a subsea HVDC interconnector connecting the NI electricity system to Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilroot Power Station</span> Coal and oil power station in Northern Ireland

Kilroot power station is a fossil fuel power plant on the north shore of Belfast Lough at Kilroot near Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The plant currently has a 141 megawatt (MW) capacity from four standby Gas Turbines and a 10 MW battery energy storage capacity from the Kilroot Advancion Energy Storage Array.

Southampton Power Station was a coal fired power station built by Southampton Corporation that operated between 1904 and 1977.

The Worcester Power Stations were a series of hydro-electric and coal-fired generating stations providing electricity to the City of Worcester.

Ribble Power Station was a coal-fired electricity generating station on the River Ribble in Penwortham near Preston, Lancashire, England. The station was built by the Corporation of Preston to replace a small privately-run generating station in the town. It supplied electricity to Preston and the surrounding area from 1923 until 1976. The station was expanded with new equipment in 1943–47 which remained in operation until the power station was closed in 1976 and was subsequently demolished.

Blackburn power stations are a series of electricity generating stations that have provided electric power to the town of Blackburn and the wider area from 1895 to the present. The first station in Jubilee Street, Blackburn began operating in 1895. A new larger station known as Blackburn East or Whitebirk power station was commissioned in 1921 and was rebuilt in stages over the period 1942 to 1955. Whitebirk station closed in 1976. The 60 MW Blackburn Mill Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station has generated electricity since 2002. The Blackburn energy from waste (EfW) plant is currently (2020) being planned.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Llanelly power station, also known as North Dock power station, supplied electricity to the town of Llanelly and the surrounding area from 1910 to the late 1960s. The power station was owned and operated by a succession of companies, including the Llanelly and District Electric Supply Company Limited, prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped in the 1920s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Stockport power station supplied electricity to the town of Stockport, Cheshire and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1976. The power station was owned and operated by Stockport Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Ltd Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2022". Companies House. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Morton, Robin (10 April 2002). "£12m power network". Belfast Telegraph.
  3. ↑ "We will soon be changing our name to Power NI". NIE Energy. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol.56. London: Electrical Press. pp. C-39 to C-60.
  5. 1 2 The Electrical Times (1962). Electricity Supply Handbook 1962. London: The Electrical Times. pp. 177, 180.
  6. ↑ Garrett, Frederick (1952). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply (vol 48). London: Electrical Press. pp. B397.
  7. ↑ "The Electricity Supply (Northern Ireland) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 19 July 1972. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  8. ↑ Ministry of Defence (17 May 1974). "Letter: Provision of electric power to Belfast". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  9. ↑ "ESB sizes up North's power networks". Sunday Times (Irish ed.). 25 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "Irish ESB is to buy NIE for £1bn". BBC News: N. Ireland. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  11. ↑ "Political opposition to ESB's NIE deal". RTÉ News. 21 September 2010.
  12. ↑ "Ireland's ESB buys NIE for £1.2bn". BBC News. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  13. ↑ "NIE Networks - About Us". NIE Networks. Retrieved 3 November 2023. Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks) is the owner of the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Northern Ireland...
  14. ↑ "NIE Networks - homepage". NIE Networks. Retrieved 3 November 2023. NIE Networks... operates the electricity distribution network...
  15. ↑ "SONI". Utility Regulator of Northern Ireland. Retrieved 3 November 2023. SONI is the independent Transmission System Operator (TSO) for Northern Ireland.
  16. ↑ Campbell, John (25 January 2022). "SONI: Changes planned for NI's electricity grid operator". BBC News. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "April 2000 Boxing Day Storms Report" (PDF). OFREG. OFREG. April 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
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