Halifax power station

In 1892 Halifax Corporation applied for a provisional order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town.{{Cite book|last=Garcke|first=Emile|title=Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3|publisher=P. S. King and Son|year=1898|isbn=|location=London|pages=194–96}} The {{visible anchor|Halifax Corporation Electric Lighting Order 1892}} was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. c. xxxvii).{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Local Acts 1892|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/changes/chron-tables/local/99|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=12 October 2020|website=legislation.co.uk}} The power station was built in Foundry Street Halifax ({{coord|53|43|34|N|1|51|28|W}})Ordnance Survey 25 inch map England Yorkshire CCXXXI.5 (Brighouse; Halifax), revised: 1914 to 1915, published: 1922 and first supplied electricity in December 1894. In the previous year the Halifax municipal refuse destructor was the first in Britain to generate electricity from refuse. This comprised a Livet steam generator driving a Parsons turbo-alternator with a capacity of 25,000 candle power (about 355 kW).{{Cite book|last=Electricity Council|title=Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology|publisher=Electricity Council|year=1987|isbn=085188105X|location=London|pages=45, 51, 60, 69, 73}}

The original plant at Halifax power station comprised vertical and horizontal engines coupled directly and by ropes to ECC alternators. In 1898 the generating capacity was 600 kW and the maximum load was 295 kW.

New plant was installed to meet growing demand for electricity. By 1923 the generating plant comprised:{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Electricity Supply – 1920–23|publisher=HMSO|year=1925|isbn=|location=London|pages=38-41, 278-83}}

Coal-fired boilers generating up to 235,000 lb/h (29.6 kg/s) of steam, these supplied steam to:

• Generators:
• 1 × 700 kW reciprocating engine driving a direct current generator
• 1 × 1,500 kW steam turbo-alternator, 6.6 kV
• 1 × 3,500 kW steam turbo-alternator, 6.6 kV
• 1 × 6,000 kW steam turbo-alternator, 6.6 kV
• 1 × 10,000 kW British Thomson-Houston Co steam turbo-alternator, 6.6kV (This machine was the first to run at 3000 RPM).

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 21,000 kW of alternating current and 700 kW DC.

A further 10,000 kW British Thomson-Houston Co steam turbo-alternator, 6.6kV was installed in 1925. {{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/sim_electrical-review_1925-10-16_97_2499 |title=The Electrical Review 1925-10-16: Vol 97 Iss 2499 |date=1925-10-16 |publisher=St. John Patrick Publishers |others=Internet Archive |language=English}}

A variety of electricity supplies were available to consumers:

• 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 400 & 230 Volts
• DC 460 & 230 Volts

New plant was commissioned as older plant was retired. By the 1950s Halifax power station comprised:{{Cite book|last=Garrett|first=Frederick|title=Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56|publisher=Electrical Press|year=1959|isbn=|location=London|pages=A-59-60, A-122}}

• Boilers:
• 2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers with chain grate stokers, each 100,000 lb/h (12.6 kg/s), steam conditions 370 psi and 750°F (25.5 bar, 399°C)
• 2 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers with chain grate stokers, each 110,000 lb/h (13.86 kg/s), steam conditions 370 psi and 750°F (25.5 bar, 399°C)

The boilers had a total evaporative capacity of 420,000 lb/h (52.9 kg/s), and supplied steam to:

• Turbo-alternators:
• 1 × British Thomson-Houston - Curtis 10 MW turbo-alternator, operating at 200 psi and 640°F (13.79 bar and 338°C)
• 1 × British Thomson-Houston - Curtis 12 MW turbo-alternator, operating at 350 psi and 750/775°F (24.1 bar and 399/413°C)
• 1 × British Thomson-Houston - Curtis 7.8 MW turbo-alternator, operating at 350 psi and 750/775°F (24.1 bar and 399/413°C)
• 1 × Brush-Ljungstrom 18.5 MW turbo-alternator, operating at 350 psi and 750/775°F (24.1 bar and 399/413°C)

The total installed generating capacity was 48.3 MW, with an output capacity of 37 MW.

Condenser cooling water was cooled in six 2.9 million gallons per hour (3.66 m³/s) wooden cooling towers.

In 1898 maximum electricity demand was 295 kW. There was the equivalent of 20,800 8-candle power lamps on the system. There were 26 public lamps. The station delivered 218,707 kWh of electricity to 305 customers.

In the 1920s there was a deep distrust between the municipal electricity undertaking such as Halifax and Huddersfield and the Yorkshire Power Company.{{Cite book|last=Hannah|first=Leslie|title=Electricity before Nationalisation|publisher=Macmillan|year=1979|isbn=0333220862|location=London|pages=84}} The Halifax and Huddersfield electricity undertakings laid, at considerable expense, an underground cable between their systems. This was despite the fact that there was an existing overhead line operated by the Yorkshire Power Company. And that the power company would have supplied electricity below the cost that the undertakings could generate electricity.

The operating data for the period 1921–23 is shown in the table:

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){{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Electricity (Supply) Act 1926|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/16-17/51/contents/enacted|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=12 October 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}} the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926. The CEB identified high efficiency 'selected' power stations that would supply electricity most effectively; Halifax was designated a selected station. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region.

Halifax power station operating data for 1946 is given below:{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946|publisher=HMSO|year=1947|isbn=|location=London|pages=9}}

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10-11 Geo. 6 c. 54).{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Electricity Act 1947|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/10-11/54/contents/enacted|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=12 October 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}} The Halifax electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Halifax power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Halifax electricity undertaking were transferred to the Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB).

Operating data for the period 1954–67 is shown in the table: CEGB Annual report and Accounts, 1961, 1962 & 1963

Halifax power station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.Halifax power station is in the CEGB statistical yearbook for 1967 but not in the 1972 edition The buildings were subsequently demolished and the area has been redeveloped with industrial and commercial units. However, the location is still the site of Halifax 132 kV substation.{{Cite web|last=Open Infrastructure Map|date=|title=Open Infrastructure Map|url=https://openinframap.org/#15.84/53.726303/-1.856413|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=13 October 2020|website=Open Infrastructure}}

• Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
• List of power stations in England

{{Reflist}}

Category:Coal-fired power stations in England

Category:Demolished power stations in the United Kingdom

Category:Former power stations in England

Category:Buildings and structures in Halifax, West Yorkshire