Nelson power station

In 1883 Nelson Corporation applied for a provisional order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town. The {{visible anchor|Nelson Electric Lighting Order 1883}} was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 4) Act 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. ccxvi).{{Cite web|title=Local Acts 1883|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/changes/chron-tables/local/86|access-date=2 December 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}} The power station was built in Charles Street, Nelson ({{coord|53|50|48|N|2|12|28|W}})Ordnance Survey 6 inch England and Wales, Lancashire LVI.NE (includes: Barrowford; Colne; Nelson.), revised 1909 to 1910, published 1914 and it first supplied electricity in 1892.{{Cite book|last=Garcke|first=Emile|title=Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3|publisher=P. S. King and Son|year=1898|location=London|pages=253–4}} Further equipment was added to meet the rising demand for electricity; by the 1920s it had a generating capacity of 6,400 kW.{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Electricity Supply – 1920–23|publisher=HMSO|year=1925|location=London|pages=66–69, 302–07}}

In 1900 a system was inaugurated by Nelson Corporation to generate electricity from domestic refuse.{{Cite book|last=Electricity Council|title=Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology|publisher=Electricity Council|year=1987|isbn=085188105X|location=London|pages=31, 45, 60, 69, 73}}

From the system's establishment in February 1903 the power station supplied electric current to Nelson Corporation Tramways.{{Cite web|title=Nelson Corporation Tramways|url=https://www.tramwayinfo.com/Tramframe.htm?https://www.tramwayinfo.com/trampostcards/Postc232.htm|access-date=2 December 2020|website=tramwayinfo}} The tram system was decommissioned in January 1934.

Nelson Corporation charged more for electricity than any other electricity undertaking in the North West. In 1913 Nelson Corporation charged 2.42 d./kWh, compared to Manchester Corporation which charge 1.02 d./kWh.{{Cite book|last=Hannah|first=Leslie|title=Electricity before Nationalisation|publisher=Macmillan|year=1979|isbn=0333220862|location=London|pages=52}}

In 1928 Nelson power station became a 'selected' station in the North West England and North Wales Electricity Scheme. The Central Electricity Board imposed restrictions on the working and use of the station.{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Electricity Commissioners, Sixteenth Annual Report April 1935 to March 1936|publisher=HMSO|year=1936|location=London|pages=180}}

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|title=Electricity Act 1947|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/10-11/54/contents/enacted|access-date=2 December 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}} The Nelson electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Nelson 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 Nelson electricity undertaking were transferred to the North Western Electricity Board (NORWEB).

Nelson power station was decommissioned in about 1960.Nelson power station is mentioned in Garrett (1959), but not the CEGB Annual Report 1961 There is a 132 kV electricity sub-station on the site.{{Cite web|title=Open Infrastructure Map|url=https://openinframap.org/#14.97/53.8443/-2.21286|access-date=3 December 2020|website=Open Infrastructure Map}}

In 1895 the plant comprised Willans engines coupled directly to Holmes and Siemens dynamos. The plant had a maximum load of 89 kW.

By 1922 the plant comprised boilers delivering 75,000 lb/h (9.44 kg/s) of steam to:

• 2 × 3,000 kW steam turbo-alternators AC
• 1 × 400 kW reciprocating engine with DC generator

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 6,400 kW comprising 6,000 kW of alternating current (AC) plus 400 kW of direct current (DC).

Electricity supplies available to consumers were:

• 400 & 230 Volts, 3-phase, 50 Hz AC
• 460 & 230 Volts DC
• 300 V DC Traction current

New plant was commissioned in 1922 to 1925. This comprised:{{Cite book|last=Garrett|first=Frederick|title=Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56|publisher=Electrical Press|year=1959|location=London|pages=A-79 A-128}}

• Boilers:
• 3 × Babcock & Wilcox 13,000 lb/h (1.64 kg/s) water tube boilers, steam conditions were 200 psi and 600 °F (13.8 bar, 315 °C)
• 1 × Babcock & Wilcox 20,000 lb/h (2.52 kg/s) water tube boiler, steam conditions as above,
• There was therefore a total steam raising capability of 59,000 lb/h (7.43 kg/s), steam was supplied to:
• Generators:
• 1 × 3 MW Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternator
• 1 × 3.3 MW Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternator
• 1 × 6.45 MW Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternator

The total generating capacity was 12.75 MW  at 6.6 kV.

Condenser cooling water was drawn from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool canal.

Electricity sold: to consumers 68,768 kWh.

No. of lamps on circuits: 5,108

Revenue from sales of electricity was £1,345; the cost of generation was £324.

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

Electricity Loads on the system were:

Revenue from sales of current (in 1923) was £44,060; the surplus of revenue over expenses (1923) was £22,737.

In 1946 Nelson power station supplied 8,079 MWh of electricity, the maximum output load was 6,600 MW.{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946|publisher=HMSO|year=1947|location=London|pages=11}}

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was:

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

{{reflist}}

{{Electricity generation in North West England}}

{{Borough of Pendle culture}}

Category:Power stations in North West England

Category:Coal-fired power stations in England

Category:Demolished power stations in the United Kingdom

Category:Nelson, Lancashire

Category:History of the Borough of Pendle