Ramsgate power station
CountryEngland
LocationRamsgate Kent
Coordinates51°20′31″N 01°24′34″E / 51.34194°N 1.40944°E / 51.34194; 1.40944
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1904
Commission date1905
Decommission date1 April 1958
Owner(s)Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company, Edmundsons Electricity Corporation Limited
(1904–1937)
County of London Electric Supply Company
(1937–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958)
Operator(s)The Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company Limited
(1901–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958)
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam engines
Power generation
Units operational90, 200 & 300 kW (1946)
Nameplate capacity2 MW
Annual net output1,660 MWh (1946)

Ramsgate power station supplied electricity to the town of Ramsgate, Kent, England and the surrounding area from 1905 to 1958. The station was operated by the Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The coal-fired power station had a maximum electricity generating capacity of 2 MW.

History

The Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company Limited (incorporated in 1903) applied for a provisional order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town and local area. This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No.3) Act 1904 (4 Edw. 7  c. clxxvi).[1] The company built the Ramsgate power station (51°20'31"N 01°24'34"E)[2] in Prince's Road, Ramsgate. This was adjacent to the corporation refuse destructor.

New plant was installed and the output of the power station was uprated to meet the increased demand for electricity.[3]

In 1937 the County of London Electric Supply Company purchased the Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company from Edmundsons Electricity Corporation Limited. The Ramsgate Company's capital was £150,000.[4]

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6 c. 54).[5] The Ramsgate electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of the power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[6] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Ramsgate electricity undertaking were transferred to the South Eastern Electricity Board (SEEBOARD).

Ramsgate power station was closed and decommissioned on 1 April 1958 by the CEGB and was subsequently demolished.[7] The site is occupied by an electricity sub-station.

Equipment specification

Plant in 1923

By 1923 the generating plant comprised:[3]

  • Coal-fired boilers generating up to 20,400 lb/h (2.57 kg/s) of steam which was supplied to:
  • Generators:
    • 1 × 90 kW steam reciprocating engine direct current (DC)
    • 1 × 200 kW steam reciprocating engine DC
    • 1 × 300 kW steam reciprocating engine DC

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 590 kW DC.

Electricity supplies available to consumers were at 480 and 240 Volts DC.[3]

Operations

Operating data 1921–23

The electricity supply data for the period 1921–23 was:[3]

Ramsgate power station supply data 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Lighting and domestic MWh 410 474 555
Public lighting MWh – – –
Traction MWh – – –
Power MWh 143 151 178
Bulk supply MWh – – –
Total use MWh 553 625 733

Electricity Loads on the system were:

Year 1921 1922 1923
Maximum load kW 457 510 638
Total connections kW 1,951 2,067 2,261
Load factor Percent 20.5 19.5 17.8

Revenue from the sale of current (in 1923) was £19,649; the surplus of revenue over expenses was £10,048.[3]

Operating data 1946

In 1946 Ramsgate power station supplied 1,659 MWh of electricity; the maximum output load was 2,148 kW.[8]

Operating data 1954–58

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was:[7]

Ramsgate power station operating data, 1954–58
Year Running hours Max output capacity MW Electricity supplied MWh Thermal efficiency percent
1954 1196 2 954 7.40
1955 674 2 757 7.25
1956 391 2 371 6.06
1957 629 2 618 7.16
1958 420 – 309 6.56

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Local Act 1904". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Ordnance Survey 25-inch England Kent XXXVIII.1 (Ramsgate), revised 1905, published 190
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 196–99, 466–471.
  4. ↑ "Ramsgate and District Electric". The Times. 25 June 1937. p. 27.
  5. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. ↑ Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 60–61. ISBN 085188105X.
  7. 1 2 Garrett, Frederick (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-87, A-131.
  8. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 11.
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