South Shields power station
CountryEngland
LocationSouth Shields
Coordinates54°59′27″N 01°26′42″W / 54.99083°N 1.44500°W / 54.99083; -1.44500
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Commission date1896
Decommission date1958
Owner(s)South Shields Corporation
(1894–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam turbines
Power generation
Units operational(See text)
Nameplate capacity10 MW
Annual net output10,092 MWh (1946)

South Shields power station supplied electricity to the borough of South Shields and the surrounding area from 1896 to 1958. It was owned and operated by South Shields Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to meet increasing demand It was decommissioned in 1958.

History

In 1891 South Shields Corporation applied for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town. This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 4) Act 1891 (54 & 55 Vict. c. lii).[1] The power station was built in West Holborn South Shields (54°59'27"N 1°26'42"W) and first supplied electricity in September 1896.[2]

Equipment specification

The original plant at South Shields power station comprised triple open-type marine engines, vertical surface condensing, coupled directly to Ferranti dynamos. In 1898 the generating capacity was 415 kW and the maximum load was 127 kW.[2]

Plant in 1923

By 1923 the generating plant comprised:[3]

  • Coal-fired boilers generating up to 135,000 lb/h (17 kg/s) of steam, which was supplied to:
  • Generators
    • 1 × 200 kW reciprocating engine AC
    • 2 × 500 kW reciprocating engines AC
    • 2 × 550 kW reciprocating engines DC
    • 1 × 750 kW steam turbine dual AC and DC
    • 1 × 2,000 kW steam turbo-alternator AC
    • 1 × 3,000 kW steam turbo-alternator AC

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 6,950 kW of alternating current and 1,850 kW direct current.[3]

A variety of electricity supplies were available to consumers as:

  • Single phase, 50 Hz AC, at 110 and 220 Volts
  • 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 2,100 Volts
  • DC 500 Volts

Operations

Operating data 1898

In 1898 the undertaking’s 90 customers were sold 82,172 kWh of electricity, plus 41,729 kWh for public lighting. These sales generated a revenue for the Corporation of £4,842.[2]

Operating data 1921–23

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

South Shields power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Lighting and domestic use MWh 1,545 1,573 1,759
Public lighting use MWh 134 200 254
Traction MWh 1,894 1,902 1,971
Power use MWh 4,382 3,119 3,279
Total use MWh 7,956 6,794 7,283
Load and connected load
Maximum load kW 4,312 3,938 4,340
Total connections kW 12,309 15,970 16,656
Load factor Per cent 26.6 24.8 24.3
Financial
Revenue from sales of current £ 81,209 82,305
Surplus of revenue over expenses £ 43,232 44,195

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 51)[4] the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926.[5] The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region.

Operating data 1946

South Shields power station had a maximum output load of 10,972 MW and delivered 10,092 MWh of electricity in 1946.[6]

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6 c. 54).[7] The South Shields electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of South Shields power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[5] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the South Shields electricity undertaking were transferred to the North Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB).

Operating data 1954–58

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was:[8]

South Shields power station operating data, 1954–58
Year Running hours Max output capacity  MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1954 1134 10 5.042 9.59
1955 1544 10 8.513 11.56
1956 1501 10 7.244 11.83
1957 1385 10 6.128 11.56
1958 1445 10 5.562 12.89

South Shields was an electricity supply district, covering the 4,874 acres (1,972 ha) of the County Borough of South Shields with a population of 108,300 in 1958. The number of consumers and electricity sold was:[8]

Year 1956 1957 1958
Number of consumers 38,209 38,933 39,154
Electricity sold MWh 97,939 103,258 110,648

In 1958 the number of units sold to categories of consumers was:[8]

Type of consumer No. of consumers Electricity sold MWh
Residential 36,294 34,977
Shops, offices, etc 2,492 13,339
Factories 359 52,138
Farms 4 47
Public traction 2 9,927
Public lighting 3 2,220
Total 39,154 110,648

There were 328 miles (528 km) of high voltage mains in the district comprising 324 miles (521 km) of underground mains and 4 miles (6.4 km) of overhead cables.[8]

Closure

South Shields power station was decommissioned on 30 September 1958.[8] The buildings were subsequently demolished and the area is derelict.

See also

References

  1. "Local Acts 1891". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3. London: P. S. King and Son. pp. 317–9.
  3. 1 2 3 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 86–89, 314–19.
  4. "Electricity (Supply) Act 1926". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  5. 1 2 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN 085188105X.
  6. Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 13.
  7. "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Garrett, Frederick (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-133 B-230–31.
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