St Helens power station

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St Helens power station
St Helens power station
Country England
Location St Helens, Merseyside
Coordinates 53°27′02″N02°44′54″W / 53.45056°N 2.74833°W / 53.45056; -2.74833 Coordinates: 53°27′02″N02°44′54″W / 53.45056°N 2.74833°W / 53.45056; -2.74833
StatusDecommissioned
Construction began1894
Commission date 1896
Decommission date1960s
Owner(s)St Helens Corporation
(1894–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1970)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Secondary fuelFuel Oil
Turbine technologySteam turbines
Cooling towers6
Cooling sourceCirculating water
Power generation
Units operational1 x 5 MW, 1 x 6.5 MW, 1 x 12.5 MW
Make and modelOerlikon, Brush Ljungstrom, Metropolitan Vickers
Nameplate capacity 24 MW
Annual net output 35,491 MWh (1946)
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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.

Contents

History

St Helens Corporation applied in 1894 for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to Borough of St Helens. An Order 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). [1] A power station was built in Warrington Road, St Helens and was commissioned in October 1896. The Corporation charged 6d./kWh and attracted just 63 customers in its first year of operation. [2] [3]

In 1897 the Corporation assumed control of St Helens Tramways which it intended to redevelop using electric traction instead of steam power. The Corporation applied for a further Provisional Order in 1900. This was granted and confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 5) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict. c. xlix). [4] A new power station built at Croppers Hill, St Helens (53°27’02”N, 2°44’54”W). [5]

The generating station was extended with new plant as demand for electricity grew. In 1911 a 1,500 kW turbo-alternator and condenser were installed costing £5,000. [6] In 1912 a 2,000 kW 6 kW turbo-alternator and associated boilers were installed. [7]

During the general strike in 1926 the local Civil Commissions overruled the St Helen Labour Council and allowed staff to continue to run the power station against the Council’s wishes. [8]

The tram system was decommissioned on 31 March 1936. [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 St Helens electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of St Helens 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 St Helens electricity undertaking were transferred to the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB)

Following nationalisation St Helens power station became part of the St Helens electricity supply district. [12]

The power station was converted to oil firing in 1963. [13]

St Helens power station was closed in the late 1960s. [14]

Equipment specification

The plant in the original power station was rated at 145 kW and comprised Robey horizontal engines coupled directly to alternators. [3] [2]

Plant in 1923

By 1923 the plant comprised boilers delivering 161,000 lb/h (20.3 kg/s) of steam to: [15]

These machines had a total generating capacity of 11,800 kW comprising 11,000 kW of alternating current (AC) plus 800 kW of direct current (DC) plant. [15]

The following electricity supplies were available to consumers:

Plant in 1954

By 1954 the plant comprised: [12]

The total generating capacity was 24 MW at 6.6 kV. [12]

Condenser water was cooled in six wooden cooling towers with a total capacity of 1.11 million gallons per hour (1.40 m3/s). [12]

Operations

Operating data 1921–23

The electricity supply data for the period 1921–23 was: [15]

St Helens power station supply data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh503584717
Public lightingMWh444340
TractionMWh1,4131,3951,559
PowerMWh19,53711,16616,820
Bulk supplyMWh000
Total useMWh21,49713,18819,136

Electricity Loads on the system were:

Year192119221923
Maximum loadkW5,7134,3825,400
Total connectionskW8,93610,19211,298
Load factorPer cent51.243.148.9

Revenue from the sale of current (in 1923) was £76,375; the surplus of revenue over expenses was £30,894. [15]

Operating data 1946

In 1946 St Helens power station supplied 35,491 MWh of electricity; the maximum output load was 19,486 kW. The load factor was 20.8 %, and the thermal efficiency was 14.13 %. [16]

Operating data 1954–67

Operating data for the period 1954–67 was: [12] [17]

St Helens power station operating data, 1954–67
YearRunning hours or load factor (per cent)Max output capacity  MWElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
195440951634,16912.98
195531291621,74411.73
195638421624,72412.85
195742631628,07313.48
19581288169,82912.85
19611.8 %162,52710.51
19622.0 %162,8118.92
19634.34 %166,08013.17
19674.2 %165,92210.43

St Helens Electricity District

Following nationalisation in 1948 St Helens power station became part of the St Helens electricity supply district, covering 36 square miles (93.2 km2) with a population of 131,000 in 1958. The number of consumers and electricity sold in the St Helens district was: [12]

Year19571958
Number of consumers36,42237,079
Electricity sold MWh380,362414,369

In 1958 the number of units sold to categories of consumers was: [12]

Type of consumerNo. of consumersElectricity sold MWh
Domestic34,23453,351
Shops and Offices2,37815,677
Factories187339,77
Farms2741,525
Traction11,893
Public lighting52,151
Total37,079414,369

The maximum demand on the system was 93,000 kW, the load factor was 50.9 %.

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Local Acts 1894". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 "St Helens Star". 23 October 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3. London: P. S. King and Son. p. 294.
  4. ↑ "Local Acts 1900". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, Lancashire CVII.4 (Eccleston; St Helens), revised 1906, published, 1908
  6. ↑ "Lancashire". The Times. 9 April 1911. p. 22.
  7. 1 2 "Industry and Invention". The Times. 21 August 1912. p. 16.
  8. ↑ Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. p. 272. ISBN   0333220862.
  9. ↑ Klapper, Charles F. (1962). The Golden Age of Tramways. Routledge and Kegan Paul.
  10. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 60–61. ISBN   085188105X.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Garrett, Frederick (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-91 A-133 B-224.
  13. ↑ CEGB Annual Report 1963, CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967
  14. ↑ The power station is mentioned in the CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967 but not in the 1972 edition
  15. 1 2 3 4 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 78–81, 308–13.
  16. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 13.
  17. ↑ CEGB Annual Report 1961–63, CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967
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