Uxbridge power station
CountryEngland
LocationUxbridge
Coordinates51°36′36″N 00°29′15″W / 51.61000°N 0.48750°W / 51.61000; -0.48750
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1900
Commission date1902
Decommission date1963
Owner(s)Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited (1899–1948), British Electricity Authority (1948–55), Central Electricity Authority (1955–57), Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–63)
Operator(s)Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited (1899–1948), British Electricity Authority (1948–55), Central Electricity Authority (1955–57), Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–63)
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologyreciprocating engines and steam turbines
Cooling sourceCanal water
Power generation
Nameplate capacity4 MW
Annual net output10038 MWh (1923)

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.

History

The Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited was established in 1899 as a local enterprise to obtain Provisional Orders under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the District of Uxbridge. An Order was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 12) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict. c. clxx).[1] Further Provisional Orders were obtained in 1903 and 1906.

The company was formed with capital of £1,000. By 1908 the capital amounted to £75,000, in 1911 the Company issued further stock of £75,000.[2] The directors in 1911 were: Charles H McEuen (Director); Theodor Petersen (Assistant Manager); James O. Callender (Assistant Manager).[2]

The power station in Waterloo Road Uxbridge (51°32’32”N 0°29’15”W) began to supply electricity in May 1902. The site was adjacent to the Grand Union Canal for delivery of coal by barge and for cooling water.[3]

The Central Electricity Board built the first stages of the National Grid between 1927 and 1933. Uxbridge power station was connected to the 132 kV electricity grid.[4]

In 1913 the electricity supply area included Greenford Urban District (UD); Hayes UD; Uxbridge UD; Uxbridge Rural District (RD); and Yiewsley UD.[3] By 1936 the supply area included: Amersham RD; Beaconsfield UD; Ealing Metropolitan Borough (MB); Eton RD; Harrow UD; Hayes & Harlington UD; Ruislip-Northwood UD; Southall MB; and Yiewsley and West Drayton UD.[5]

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6 c. 54).[6] The Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited was abolished, ownership of Uxbridge power station were vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[4] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited were transferred to the South Eastern Electricity Board (SEEBOARD).

Following nationalisation Uxbridge power station became part of the Uxbridge electricity supply district, covering an area of 69 square miles (179 km2).[7]

Uxbridge power station was closed in 1963.[8]

Equipment specification

Plant in 1913 & 1919

The capacity and output of the generating plant at Uxbridge power station in 1913 and 1919 was as shown.[2][9]

Generating plant 1913 & 1919
Year 1913 1919
Capacity of plant, kW 1,100 3,600
Connections, kW 2,098 4,347
Maximum Load, kW 550 1,625

Plant in 1923

By 1923 the plant at Uxbridge comprised boilers delivering a total of 105,000 lb/h (13.2 kg/s) of steam to:[10]

  • 1 × 200 kW reciprocating engine generating alternating current (AC)
  • 2 × 300 kW reciprocating engine generating AC
  • 1 × 650 kW turbo-alternator generating AC
  • 2 × 1,000 kW turbo-alternator generating AC
  • 1 × 1,500 kW turbo-alternator generating AC

The total generating capacity was 4,950 kW.

Plant in 1936

The plant data for 1936 was:[5]

Capacity of plant, kW 4,850
Connections, kW 123,629
Maximum Load, kW 22,648

Plant in 1954

By 1954 the plant comprised:[7]

  • Boilers:
    • 5 × Babcock and Wilcox marine boilers total evaporative capacity was 81,000 lb/h (10.2 kg/s), steam conditions were 200 psi and 600 °F (13.8 bar and 315 °C), steam was supplied to:
  • Generators:
    • 2 × 1.1 MW Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternators, 3-phase, 50 Hz, 6,600 volts
    • 1 × 1.8 MW Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternators, 3-phase, 50 Hz, 6,600 volts

The total installed generating capacity was 4 MW.

Operations

Operating data 1913 and 1919

Operating data for Uxbridge power station in 1913 and 1919 was:[3][9]

Year 1913 1919
Electricity generated, MWh 1,266 4,532
Number of customers 714 1,312
Electricity supply 200 V 400 V AC

Operating data 1921–23

The electricity supply data for the period 1921–23 was:[10]

Uxbridge power station supply data 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Lighting and domestic MWh 821.7 988.7 1,227.8
Public lighting MWh 8.4 11.0 17.3
Traction MWh 0 0 0
Power MWh 2,870 3,327 6,286
Bulk supply MWh 1,257 3,520 2,506
Total use MWh 4,957 7,847 10,038

Electricity Loads on the system were:

Year 1921 1922 1923
Maximum load kW 3,280 4,320 5,218
Total connections kW 6,860 8,001 10,398
Load factor Per cent 21.8 26.8 27.2

Revenue from the sale of current (in 1923) was £99,106; the surplus of revenue over expenses was £49,470[10]

Operating data 1931–36

Operating data for the station over the period 1931–36 was.[5]

Year Electricity sold MWh Electricity generated MWh Number of customers
1931 33,569 2,970
1932
1933 39,636
1934 46,898
1935 52,915
1936 65,312 2,963 37,501

Operating data 1946

In 1946 Uxbridge power station supplied 932.08 MWh of electricity; the maximum output load was 5,700 kW.[11]

Operating data 1954–63

Operating data for the period 1954–63 was:[7][12]

Uxbridge power station operating data, 1954–63
Year Running hours, or (load as % of max capacity) Max output capacity MW Electricity supplied MWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1954 261 4 513 3.88
1955 476 4 1,197 5.99
1956 311 4 752 2.15
1957 159 4 271 3.28
1958 161 4 316 3.48
1961 (0.3%) 4 97 3.07
1962 (0.4%) 4 128 3.81

The electricity output of Uxbridge power station, MWh

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Local Acts 1900". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited". TheTimes. 25 May 1911. p. 21.
  3. 1 2 3 London County Council (1915). London Statistics vol. 24, 1913–14. London: London County Council.
  4. 1 2 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 60–61. ISBN 085188105X.
  5. 1 2 3 London County Council (1939). London Statistics vol. 41, 1936–38. London: LCC.
  6. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-103–104, A-137, B-248.
  8. ↑ Uxbridge power station is included in the CEGB Annual Report 1962 but not in 1963 report
  9. 1 2 London County Council (1922). London Statistics vol. 27, 1920–21. London: London County Council.
  10. 1 2 3 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. HMSO. pp. 216–199, 502–07.
  11. ↑ Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO.
  12. ↑ CEGB Annual Report 1961, 1962, 1963
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