Southampton Power Station

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Southampton power station
Southampton Power Station
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocationSouthampton
Coordinates 50°54′23″N1°24′34″W / 50.9063°N 1.4095°W / 50.9063; -1.4095
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1902
Decommission datec. 1977
Owner(s)Southampton Electric Lighting and Power Company
(1891–1896)
Southampton Corporation
(1896–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1977)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam turbines and reciprocating engines
Cooling towersNone
Cooling sourceSeawater
Power generation
Units decommissionedAll
Nameplate capacity 13.26 MW (1923), 88 MW (1956)
Annual net output 10.95 GWh (1923), 149 GWh (1954), 63 GWh (1963)
[ edit on Wikidata]

Southampton Power Station was a coal fired power station built by Southampton Corporation that operated between 1904 and 1977. [1]

Contents

History

The Southampton Electric Lighting and Power Company supplied electricity to Southampton from 1891, from a small power station at Back-of-the-Walls. Southampton Corporation purchased the Company in 1896 for £21,000. [2]

By 1897, the plant had a generating capacity of 300 kW with a maximum load of 262 kW. A total of 191.868 MWh of electricity was sold which provided an income to the corporation of £4,276-4-6. [3]

The Corporation built a larger power station in 1903-4 on reclaimed land near the western end of Southampton Railway Tunnel. [1] In the same year, a siding was built from the railway to the site of the power plant. [1] The siding was initially used to bring construction materials onto the site but once construction was complete the siding was used to move coal. [1] The siding was worked by an 0-4-0 locomotive built by Southampton Corporation Tramways workshops powered by electric overhead wires. [1]

In 1925 American hard-shelled clams were introduced into the River Test, in an area warmed by cooling water discharge of the power station. This was done as an attempt to breed them to allow them to be used as eel bait. [4] Since their introduction the clams have spread through Southampton water and into Portsmouth Harbour and Langstone Harbour. [4]

The power station expanded in the 1920s. [1] This expansion required an extra train which was purchased in 1931 from Baguley (Engineers) Ltd. [1] Further increase in demand resulted in a third locomotive being purchased in 1939 this time from Greenwood & Batley. [1]

Specification

By 1923 the plant at Southampton power station comprised 1 × 1,500 kW, 1 × 3,000 kW and  1 × 5,000 kW turbo-alternators producing alternating current. [5] There was also 1 × 1,260 kW turbo-alternator and 1 × 500 kW and 2 × 1,000 kW reciprocating engines producing direct current. All these machines were fed with steam at up to 274,000 pounds per hour. The maximum load on the system was 6,824 kW and in 1923 there were 15,747 consumers connected. [5] Electricity was available to consumers at 415 & 240, 3-phase, 50 Hz AC; 200 V, 2-phase, 50 Hz AC; 400 & 200 V DC; and 500 V DC for traction current. In 1923 a total of 10.947 GWh of electricity was sold. This generated revenue of £128,192, and the surplus of revenue over expenses of £48,336 for the corporation. [5]

By the 1950s the plant at Southampton power station comprised: [6]

Cooling was by seawater. [6]

Nationalisation

Upon nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 the ownership of Southampton power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). The electricity distribution and sales functions were vested in the South Western Electricity Board. [7]

After World War 2 the supply of coal switched to road transport and the siding ceased to be used. [1] The Southampton Corporation Tramways built locomotive was scrapped in 1953 with the remaining two meeting the same fate in 1960. [1] The siding was removed in 1964. [1]

Operations

The electricity output from the station was as follows. [6] [8] [9] [10]

YearElectricity sent out, GWh
1946154.35
1954148.61
1955106.25
1956150.95
1957130.80
195889.94
196150.85
196232.99
196363.09
196744.31

In 1951 extractors were added to the plant to reduce the level of grit in the smoke. [11]

The power station closed in 1977 and was demolished the same year. [1] Southampton power station does not appear in the CEGB list of operational power stations in 1972. [12]

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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.

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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.

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.

The two Coventry power stations supplied electricity to the county borough of Coventry and the wider Warwickshire area from 1895 to 1976. They were owned and operated by Coventry Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The first power station was established in 1895 off Sandy Lane north of the city centre. A new larger power station was built at Longford / Hawksbury Junction in 1928 and was extended in 1938 and 1941. The Longford station was decommissioned in October 1976.

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.

Bury power stations are two generating stations that supplied electricity to the town of Bury, Lancashire and the surrounding area from 1896 to 1970. They were owned and operated by Bury Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power stations were rebuilt several times to replace older plant and to meet an increasing demand for electricity.

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.

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.

Neepsend power station supplied electricity to the City of Sheffield and the surrounding area from 1910 to 1976. The power station was owned and operated by the Sheffield Corporation Electricity Department prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was operated in conjunction with Blackburn Meadows and Kelham power stations and was closed in 1976.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Drummond, Ian (2013). Southern Rails On Southampton Docks Including the Industrial Lines of Southampton. Holne Publishing. pp. 155–158. ISBN   9780956331748.
  2. ↑ "Electricity Supply". sotonopedia. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings. London: P. S. King & son.
  4. 1 2 "Mercenaria mercenaria". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply - 1920-1923. London: HMSO. pp. 82–85, 314–319.
  6. 1 2 3 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-94, A-133.
  7. ↑ Electricity Council (1987). Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 60–61. ISBN   085188105X.
  8. ↑ CEGB Annual report and Accounts, 1961, 1962 & 1963
  9. ↑ Electricity Commission, Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31st December 1946. London: HMSO, 1947.
  10. ↑ CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967
  11. ↑ Hamilton, Keith (15 June 2014). "Inside Southampton Power Station". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  12. ↑ CEGB (1972). CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1972. London: CEGB. pp. 10–11.
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