Uxbridge power station
{{Short description|Power station in London, England}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Uxbridge power station
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|36|36|N|00|29|15|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| country = England
| location = Uxbridge
| status = Decommissioned and demolished
| construction_began = 1900
| commissioned = 1902
| decommissioned = 1963
| owner = 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 = 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)
| th_fuel_primary = Coal
| th_technology = reciprocating engines and steam turbines
| ps_cooling_source = Canal water
| ps_electrical_capacity = 4 MW
| ps_annual_generation = 10038 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. The {{visible anchor|Uxbridge and District Electricity Supply Order 1900}} 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).{{Cite web|title=Local Acts 1900|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/changes/chron-tables/local/117|access-date=3 January 2022|website=legislation.gov.uk}} 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.{{Cite news|date=25 May 1911|title=Uxbridge and District Electric Supply Company Limited|page=21|work=TheTimes}} The directors in 1911 were: Charles H McEuen (Director); Theodor Petersen (Assistant Manager); James O. Callender (Assistant Manager).
The power station in Waterloo Road Uxbridge ({{coord|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.{{Cite book|last=London County Council|title=London Statistics vol. 24, 1913–14|publisher=London County Council|year=1915|location=London}}
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.{{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, 60–61}}
In 1913 the electricity supply area included Greenford Urban District (UD); Hayes UD; Uxbridge UD; Uxbridge Rural District (RD); and Yiewsley UD. 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.{{Cite book|last=London County Council|title=London Statistics vol. 41, 1936–38.|publisher=LCC|year=1939|location=London}}
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=3 January 2022|website=legislation.gov.uk}} 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). 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).{{Cite book|editor-last=Garrett|editor-first=Frederick C. |title=Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56|publisher=Electrical Press|year=1959|location=London|pages=A-103–104, A-137, B-248}}
Uxbridge power station was closed in 1963.Uxbridge power station is included in the CEGB Annual Report 1962 but not in 1963 report
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.{{Cite book|last=London County Council|title=London Statistics vol. 27, 1920–21|publisher=London County Council|year=1922|location=London}}
| class="wikitable"
|+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:{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Electricity Supply – 1920–23|publisher=HMSO|year=1925|pages=216–199, 502–07}}
- 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 =
= Plant in 1954 =
- 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 1921–23 =
The electricity supply data for the period 1921–23 was:
| class="wikitable"
|+Uxbridge power station supply data 1921–23 ! rowspan="2" |Electricity Use ! rowspan="2" |Units ! colspan="3" |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:
| class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" |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
= Operating data 1931–36 =
= Operating data 1946 =
In 1946 Uxbridge power station supplied 932.08 MWh of electricity; the maximum output load was 5,700 kW.{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946|publisher=HMSO|year=1947|location=London}}
= Operating data 1954–63 =
Operating data for the period 1954–63 was:CEGB Annual Report 1961, 1962, 1963
| class="wikitable"
|+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
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