Lombard Road power station
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocationBattersea London
Coordinates51°28′16″N 00°10′37″W / 51.47111°N 0.17694°W / 51.47111; -0.17694
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1897
Commission date1901
Decommission date1972
Owner(s)Borough of Battersea
(1901–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1972)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam reciprocating engines and steam turbines
Cooling towersNone
Cooling sourceRiver water
Power generation
Units operational2 x 5 MW, 1 x 10 MW, 1 x 30 MW
Make and modelFraser & Chalmers-GEC and Westinghouse
Nameplate capacity50 MW
Annual net output62.9 GWh (1946)

Lombard Road power station supplied electricity to the Battersea area of South-East London from 1901 to 1972. It was owned and operated by the Borough of Battersea until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s and the 1930s. The station was decommissioned in 1972.

History

In 1896 the Vestry of Battersea applied for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the parish.[1] This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 5) Act 1896 (59 & 60  Vict. c. cxix).[2] The power station was built between Lombard Road and Harroway Road in Battersea (51°28'16"N 0°10'37"W).[3]

Equipment specification

In 1923 the generating plant comprised:[4]

Coal-fired boilers generating up to 207,000 lb/h (26.1 kg/s) of steam, the boilers fed steam to:

The total generating capacity was 12,350 kW.

A variety of electricity current was available to consumers:

  • Direct current at 230 and 460 Volts,
  • 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 400 Volts,
  • 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 6,000 Volts for industrial users.

New plant 1930s

A new generator and switch house were added to the power station in 1931.

By 1954 the plant at Lombard Road was in its final configuration and comprised:[5]

  • Boilers:
    • 4 × Babcock and Wilcox boilers with chain grate stokers, each 65,000 lb/h (8.2 kg/s), steam conditions 315 psi and 750 °F (21.7 bar, 400 °C),
    • 2 × Babcock and Wilcox boilers with chain grate stokers, each 125,000 lb/h (15.75 kg/s), steam conditions 315 psi and 750 °F (21.7 bar, 400 °C),

The boilers had a total evaporative capacity of 510,000 lb/h (64.3 kg/s).

Coal was delivered by road and by barge to Grove Wharf on the Thames. From the wharf it was delivered to the power station by an inclined conveyor across Lombard Road.[3]

The boilers supplied steam to:

  • Turbo-alternators:
    • 1 × Westinghouse 5 MW turbo-alternator, low pressure set, generating at 6.6 kV. Steam at 190 psi and 520 °F (13.1 bar and 271 °C) via a reducing valve.
    • 1 × Fraser & Chalmers-GEC 5 MW turbo-alternator, low pressure set, generating at 6.6 kV. Steam at 190 psi and 520 °F (13.1 bar and 271 °C) via a reducing valve.
    • 1 × Fraser & Chalmers-GEC 30 MW turbo-alternator, high pressure set, generating at 6.6 kV,
    • 1 × Fraser & Chalmers-GEC 10 MW turbo-alternator, high pressure set, generating at 6.6 kV,

The completed total installed generating capacity was 50 MW, with an output capacity of 42 MW.[5]

Condenser cooling water was drawn from the River Thames.[5]

Operations

Operating data 1904–20

The operating data for the period 1904–20 is shown in the table.[6]

Year Electricity sold GWh Income from sales of current £
1904 1.357
1908 3.076
1913 6.214 46,077
1914 6.640
1919 14.191 97,022
1920 9.817

Operating data 1921–24

A breakdown of the operating data for the period 1921–24 is shown in the table:[4]

Lombard Road power station operating data 1921–24
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923 1924
Lighting and domestic use MWh 2,605 2,741 3,150 15,252 (including power)
Public lighting use MWh 592 636 753 755
Power use MWh 8,376 6,877 8,541
Bulk supply MWh 1,646 2,069 2,187 1,503
Total use MWh 13,219 12,324 14,632 17,511
Load and connected load
Maximum load kW 6,000 6,007 7,950 7,800
Total connections kW 15,875 17,297 18,143 20,079
Load factor Per cent 30.1 28.1 25.4 25.6
Financial
Revenue from sales of current £ – 130,178 123,777 122,223
Surplus of revenue over expenses £ – 47,530 61,589

The growth of demand and use of electricity is evident.

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16-17 Geo. 5 c. 51)[7] the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926.[8] The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively; Lombard Road was designated a selected station. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region.

Operating data 1934–46

Lombard Road power station operating data for 1934–46 is given below.[6][9]

Lombard Road power station operating data, 1934–46
Year Load factor per cent Max output load MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1934 55.695
1935 40.207
1936 47.143
1937 39.7 16,720 52.342
1946 21.3 33,700 62.906 16.10

The larger amount of electricity supplied reflects the capacity of the new generating plant installed in the early 1930s.

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 Borough of Battersea electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Lombard Road power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[8] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Battersea electricity undertaking were transferred to the London Electricity Board (LEB).[11]

Operating data 1954–71

Operating data for the period 1954–71 is shown in the table:[5][12][13]

Lombard Road power station operating data, 1954–71
Year Running hours or load factor (per cent) Max output capacity  MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1954 1190 42 14.914 13.17
1955 3488 42 42.502 14.93
1956 848 42 11.22 12.20
1957 1261 42 17.258 12.91
1958 1006 42 14.236 13.45
1961 6.9% 42 25.24 15.26
1962 7.0% 42 25.841 14.84
1963 10.42% 42 10.42 15.10
1966 9.8% 42 36.091 13.62
1967 9.8% 42 36.016 14.16
1968 12.1% 42 44.555 14.31
1969 5.1% 42 18.613 10.37
1970 4.5% 38 16.714 13.67
1971 6.3% 28 21.015 11.92

The declining use of the station at lower thermal efficiencies is evident.

The amount of electricity (in GWh) supplied by Lombard Road power station over its operating life was:

Closure

Lombard Road power station was decommissioned in 1972.[3] The buildings were subsequently demolished and the area has been redeveloped with housing and commercial units.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings. London: P. S. King and son. p. 99.
  2. ↑ "Local Acts of Parliament 1896". legislation.gov.uk. 1896. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lombard Road". Layers of London. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply - 1920-23. London: HMSO. pp. 6–9, 260–65.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-73, A-127.
  6. 1 2 London County Council (1905–1937). London Statistics. London: London County Council.
  7. ↑ "Electricity (Supply) Act 1926". legislation.gov.uk. 1926.
  8. 1 2 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN 085188105X.
  9. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain. London: HMSO.
  10. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk.
  11. ↑ CEGB (1950). Organisation of the Electricity Supply Industry. London: CEGB.
  12. ↑ CEGB. Annual Reports. CEGB.
  13. ↑ CEGB. Statistical Yearbooks. London: CEGB.
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