Lithgow power station

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Lithgow power station
CountryAustralia
StatusDecommissioned
Commission date 1928
Decommission date1964

Lithgow power station was an Australian power station built in 1928 [1] to supply power to the New South Wales Government Railways, the small arms factory, Hoskins mine and Lithgow council. The initial plant was two 2.5MW BTH/English Electric turbo alternators that were no longer needed at Ultimo power station. [2] A third 2.5MW turbo alternator from Zaara Street, Newcastle was added in 1931. A fourth 2.5MWBTH machine was installed in 1936 (ex Zaara St). In 1943 a 2.5MW Willans & Robinson generator from Zaara St became No5 at Lithgow. Steam was supplied from four 160,000 lb/Hr boilers at 200PSI and a temp of 450degF. Coal came from the nearby State Mine. Due to a severe lack of water, these turbines only exhausted into individual jet condensers.

The second stage of Lithgow power station development started in 1948 with the removal of No5 which had been damaged and the installation of a 7.5MW Metro-Vickers alternator from Zaara St and became No4A. Similar 7.5MW Metro Vickers generators replaced the 2.5MW machines in 1950, 1953 and 1956 to become No. 3A, No. 5, No. 2 and No. 1. Steam was supplied from five 70,000 lb/hr boilers that were ex White Bay "A" station. A series of wooden cooling towers were constructed and allowed the use of surface condensers for these larger sets. Make-up for the cooling towers came from a new dam built at the adjacent State Mine. Total output was 38MW.

Walter Lockhart Cowen, [3] district electrical superintendent for New South Wales Government Railways, managed the Lithgow Power Station from its construction phase until his retirement in 1951. The station remained in operation until 1964, by which time the nearby Wallerawang Power Station was running. The Lithgow Power Station was demolished during the 1970s. [4]

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Wimbledon power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Wimbledon and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1968. The power station was developed by the Wimbledon Corporation which operated it up to 1933. The London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority operated the station from 1933 until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped by the owners several times 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.

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.

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References

  1. "Power generation has been part ofLithgow's lifeblood since the '20s". Lithgow Mercury. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  2. "POWER STATION". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 27, 482. 3 February 1926. p. 16 via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Western Lines Are Short Circuited". Lithgow Mercury. 24 December 1946. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  4. Fetscher, Mark (2002). The Power Stations of the N.S.W.G.R. (Rev. ed.). M Fetscher (published 2003). ISBN   978-0-9750063-1-3.