Nechells power stations
| Nechells power stations | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Coordinates | 52°30′05″N 01°51′31″W / 52.50139°N 1.85861°W |
| Status | Demolished |
| Commission date | Temporary 1914; A station 1922; B station 1951 |
| Decommission date | A 1969; B 1982 |
| Operator(s) | Birmingham Corporation; BEA; CEA; CEGB |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Coal |
| Turbine technology | Steam generation |
| Cooling towers | A: 35; B: 4 |
| Cooling source | Cooling towers |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | Temporary 2 x 5 MW & 2 x 6 MW; A station 6 x 18.75 MW & 2 x 1.875 MW; B station 4 x 52.5 MW |
| Make and model | BT-H, GEC, Parsons |
| Nameplate capacity | A 117.75 MW; B 200 MW |
| Annual net output | See tables |
Nechells power stations refers to the three coal-fired electricity generating stations that supplied electricity to Birmingham and the surrounding area from 1915 to 1982.
History[edit]
Birmingham had been supplied with electricity from several local generating stations. These included Dale End, 1.5 MW (1891); Water Street, 3.5 MW (1895); Aston Manor, 7 MW, (1903); Handsworth, 1.05 MW (1905); and Summer Lane, 36.5 MW (1906).[1] The growth of demand for electricity meant that increasing generating capacity was needed. A large power station at Nechells was identified in 1912 as being necessary to meet current and future demand.[1]
At the start of the First World War the Birmingham Corporation together with Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company proposed to build two large power stations one at Nechells (2 × 15 MW alternators) and one at Stourport (3 × 15 MW machines) to meet their needs. However, the cost £2.75 million was too much and even the government refuse to support the proposal.[2]
Nechells Temporary station[edit]
The 1914-18 war created an additional significant demand for electricity. The City of Birmingham Electricity Supply Department decided that a temporary power station should be constructed at Nechells rather than to wait for the large power station to be built and commissioned. The temporary station was completed in 1915.[1] The station was owned and operated by the City of Birmingham Electricity Supply Department.
The plant comprised:[3]
- Boilers with a total steam generating capacity of 420,000 lbs/hour (52.9 kg/s)
- Two 5.0 MW turbo-alternators
- Two 6.0 MW turbo-alternators
The total electricity output capacity was 22.0 MW.[3] The temporary station was decommissioned and demolished in the late 1920s.
Nechells A (Prince's station)[edit]
Located off Aston Church Street, Nechells. Construction started in 1914 and commercial operation began in 1922.[1] It was opened by the Prince of Wales on 13 June 1923. The A station was owned and operated by the City of Birmingham Electricity Supply Department. Following nationalisation of the electricity in 1948 ownership was transferred to the British Electricity Authority (1948-55), the Central Electricity Authority (1955-58) and finally to the Central Electricity Generating Board (1958-69).
The plant at the A station comprised:[4]
- Boilers, 17 Babcock & Wilcox, and one Simon Carves with a total evaporative capacity of 694,000 lbs/hour (87.4 kg/s). Steam conditions were 320 psi and 710 °F (22.1 barg and 377 °C)
- Two 18.75 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternators
- Four 18.75 MW General Electric Company turbo-alternators
- Two 1.875 MW DC turbo-generators
- Cooling was by 35 wooden cooling towers with a total capacity of 6.057 million gallons per hour (7.65 m3/s)
The station was commissioned in phases as the generating machines were available, these were in July 1922, November 1922, June 1924, March 1925, September 1925, and May 1927.[4] Turbo-alternators 5 and 6 were supplied with steam from the B station.[4]
The output of the A station over the period 1946-69 was:[4][5] [6]
| Year | Electricity supplied (GWh) | Maximum capacity (MW) |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 84.78 | 90.90 |
| 1947 | 104.0 | 94.2 |
| 1948 | 92.49 | 92 |
| 1950 | 103.97 | 93 |
| 1954 | 29.62 | 75 |
| 1955 | 37.62 | 75 |
| 1956 | 26.87 | 100 |
| 1957 | 25.71 | 100 |
| 1958 | 1.72 | 100 |
| 1961 | 4.25 | 74 |
| 1962 | 24.11 | 74 |
| 1963 | 10.81 | 74 |
The A station was closed in 1969.
Nechells B[edit]
Nechells B was approved by the Central Electricity Board in 1945. It was built adjacent to the A station. The B station was owned and operated by the British Electricity Authority (1948-55), the Central Electricity Authority (1955-58) and finally to the Central Electricity Generating Board (1958-82).[4][5]
The plant comprised:[5]
- Boilers, 12 International Combustion, with a total evaporative capacity of 2,760,000 lbs/hour (348 kg/s). Steam conditions were 675 psi and 850 °F (46.56 barg and 454 °C)
- Four Parsons 52.5 MW turbo-alternators
- Cooling was by three ferro-concrete cooling towers each of 4 million gallons per hour (5.05 m3/s)
The station opened in stages: June 1951, December 1951, November 1952 and September 1953.
The output of the station over the period 1954 to 1982 was:[4][5][6][7][8][9]
| Year | Electricity supplied (GWh) | Maximum capacity (MW) |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 1021 | 200 |
| 1955 | 1175 | 200 |
| 1956 | 1097 | 200 |
| 1957 | 1008 | 200 |
| 1958 | 917 | 200 |
| 1961 | 796 | 212 |
| 1962 | 764 | 212 |
| 1963 | 741 | 212 |
| 1972 | 456 | 212 |
| 1979 | 219 | 212 |
| 1982 | 55.0 | 212 |
The B station closed on 1 November 1982. It was subsequently demolished.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d D.G. Tucker, Electricity generating stations for public supply in the West Midlands 1888-1977 (1977).
- ^ Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. p. 58. ISBN 0333220862.
- ^ a b Electricity Commission (1925). Electricity Supply 1920-23. London: HMSO. p. 10.
- ^ a b c d e f Garrett, F. C. (1951). Garckes Manual of Electricity Supply, vol 48,. London: Electrical Press Limited. pp. A83-4 A-135.
- ^ a b c d Garrett, F. C. (1959). Garckes Manual of Electricity Supply, vol 56,. London: Electrical Press Limited. pp. A-78 A-128.
- ^ a b CEGB, Power station Operating Results 1961 to 1963
- ^ CEGB (1972). Statistical Yearbook 1972. London: CEGB.
- ^ CEGB (1979). CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1978-79. London: CEGB.
- ^ CEGB (1982). CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1981-82. London: CEGB.