Manx Electricity Authority

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Manx Electricity Authority
Lught-reill Lectraghys Manninagh
TypeState utility board
IndustryEnergy: electricity
PredecessorDouglas Corporation Electricity Department and Isle of Man Electricity Board
Founded1984 [1]
Defunct2014
FateMerged with Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority
Successor Manx Utilities Authority
Headquarters
Douglas
,
Isle of Man
Area served
Isle of Man
Key people
Philip King (CEO) [2]
Edmund Lowey MLC (Chairman)
ProductsElectric power
Total assets Power stations at Pulrose, Peel, Ramsey and Sulby
Owner Isle of Man Government
Parent Isle of Man Government
Subsidiaries e-llan Communication
ManxCable Company Ltd.

The Manx Electricity Authority (Manx : Lught-reill Lectraghys Manninagh) was a Statutory Board of the Isle of Man Government which generated and supplied electricity for the Isle of Man. In 2014 it became part of the Manx Utilities Authority when it was merged with the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority. [3]

Contents

History

Douglas Corporation Electricity

Following the First World War the development of utilities on the Isle of Man was considered essential. [4] To meet the demand for electricity in the Douglas area Tynwald considered whether this should be met by a subsidiary of the Douglas Gas Company or by the Douglas Corporation. [4] In 1921 the Corporation of Douglas was granted monopoly powers to establish an electric light and power works under the provisions of the Douglas Corporation Electric Light and Power Act 1921. Electricity supplies started in June 1923. [5] Authorised distribution covered an area of 17 square miles, including Douglas, Onchan, Union Mills, Tromode, and Groudie, and served a population of about 25,000. [5]

Isle of Man Electricity Board

An Electricity Commission in 1929 considered how to extend the supply of electricity across the island. The Commission proposed that a private company should distribute electricity purchased from Douglas Corporation. [4] The Isle of Man Electric Light and Power Act 1932 as amended by the Isle of Man Electric Light and Power Amendment Act 1935 [6] established the Isle of Man Electricity Board with the authority to supply electricity throughout the Isle of Man but excluding Douglas and the Howstrake Estate. The authorised distribution area covered 280 square miles, including Ramsey, Peel, Port Erin, Castletown and about 36 villages and rural districts and served a population of 25,000. [5] Electricity supplies commenced on 3 August 1935. [5] The Douglas Corporation and the Isle of Man Electricity Board were the sole suppliers on the island, apart from small areas supplied by the Manx Electric Railway Company. [5]

Douglas Corporation generation

Pulrose power station

By the mid-1950s the Pulrose power station of the Douglas Corporation had a total generating capacity of 15.475 MW. This comprised the following plant: [5]

Coal-fired boilers:

  • 2 × 15,000 pounds per hour (1.89 kg/s) Nesdrum, operating at 220 psi (15.2 bar)
  • 2 × 44,000 lb/hr (5.54 kg/s) Nesdrum, 220 psi
  • 1 × 22,000 lb/hr (2.77 kg/s) Stirling, 220 psi
  • 2 × 60,000 lb/hr (7.56 kg/s) John Thompson, 450 psi (31.0 bar)

Turbo-alternators:

  • 1 × 1,875 kW Brush-Ljungstrom
  • 1 × 1,100 kW Richardsons Westgarth Brown Bovey
  • 1 × 3,750 kW Richardsons Westgarth Brown Bovey
  • 1 × 3,750 kW Bellis and Morcon
  • 1 × 5,000 kW Brush-Ljungstrom

There were 90 transformer sub-stations with a capacity of 18.5 MVA. A summary of electricity supplies in the mid-1950s is shown in the table. [5]

Douglas Corporation electricity supplies
YearCustomersElectricity supplied, GWh Revenue from electricity sales
19549,38519.691£202,183
19559,56821.873£228,767
19569,64123.550£238,087
19579,70124.333£251,874
19589,74725.673£372,598

Isle of Man Electricity Board generation

In the mid-1950s the Isle of Man Electricity Board generated electricity using diesel engines. There were seven 920 kW and two 2,000 kW Mirrlees engines, driving alternators generating electricity at 11 kV. High tension transmission was at 11/33 kV, and supplied to consumers at 400 V for power and 230 V single phase for lighting. A summary of electricity supplies in the mid-1950s is shown in the table. [5]

Isle of Man Electricity Board electricity supplies
YearCustomersElectricity supplied, GWhRevenue from electricity sales
195416.619£165,488
195517.027£169,946
195618.279£177,739
195720.454£198,137
195810,10822.335£221,874

Manx Electricity Authority

In 1982 Tynwald appointed a Commission to examine the amalgamation of the Douglas Corporation Electricity Department and Isle of Man Electricity Board. [4] The Commission reported in May 1983 in favour of the establishment of a single authority for the whole island. The Manx Electricity Authority was established in July 1983 to develop and maintain an efficient and economical system of electricity supply for the Island. [4] Its legal position was established by the Electricity Act 1984. [6]

In 2014 the Manx Electricity Authority became part of the Manx Utilities Authority when it was merged with the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority.

Generation

Electricity generation is provided on the island from the following sources

In addition there is also the Isle of Man to England Interconnector, an AC submarine power cable connecting the transmission system of the Isle of Man to that of Great Britain. [7]

See also

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Sculcoates power station supplied electricity to Kingston upon Hull and the wider East Yorkshire area from 1898. An earlier 1893 station in Dagger Lane had operated public lighting in Hull Old Town. Sculcoates power station was built and operated by Kingston upon Hull Corporation on a site in Sculcoates Lane adjacent to the Beverley and Barmston Drain. The power station was increased in size as demand for electricity grew, it was redeveloped several times: including major rebuilds in 1927–29 and in 1938–1952. The power station was closed in 1976 and was subsequently demolished.

Bath power station supplied electricity to the City of Bath and the wider area from 1890. The station was originally built and operated by the City of Bath Electric Lighting and Engineering Company Limited. The power station was on a site in Dorchester Street adjacent to the Old Bridge over the River Avon. The City of Bath Corporation assumed ownership in 1897. The power station was redeveloped several times: including a major rebuilding with new equipment in the 1920s. The station was closed in the late 1960s and was subsequently demolished.

Halifax power station supplied electricity to the town of Halifax and the wider area from 1894 to the 1960s. It was owned and operated by Halifax Corporation until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times and at its peak had a generating capacity of 48 MW.

Reading power station, Berkshire, England supplied electricity to the town of Reading and the surrounding area from 1895 to the 1960s. It was initially owned and operated by the Reading Electric Supply Company Limited, then from 1933 by the Reading Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times with new equipment replacing retired plant. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

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.

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.

Nelson power station supplied electricity to the town of Nelson, Lancashire and the surrounding area from 1892 to 1960. The power station was owned and operated by Nelson Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped in 1922 to 1925 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.

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.

Luton power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Luton and the surrounding area from 1901 to 1969. The power station was operated by the Luton Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped after the First World War to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Uxbridge power station supplied electricity to the District of Uxbridge and the surrounding area from 1902 to 1962. The power station was built by the Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

Gas for lighting and heating has been supplied to users on the Isle of Man starting in 1836; first as town gas, then as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and since 2003 natural gas has been available. The future use of hydrogen as a supplementary or substitute fuel is being studied.

References

  1. ↑ "Manx Utilities - Home".
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Manx Utilities Authority". Isle of Man Government. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kermode, David G. (2001). Offshore Island Politics: The Constitutional and Political Development of the Isle of Man in the Twentieth Century (Liverpool University Press - Centre for Manx Studies Monographs). Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. pp. 119, 352. ISBN   9780853237877.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. C-41–42, C-52–53.
  6. 1 2 "Isle of Man Legislation". Isle of Man Legislation. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Manx Electricity Authority Delivery plan 2012" (PDF). Retrieved 20 June 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
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