Hammersmith power station

Hammersmith power station supplied electricity to the London Borough of Hammersmith from 1897 to 1965. It was owned and operated by the Vestry / Borough of Hammersmith until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.  The power station was frequently redeveloped with new plant over its operational life to meet increased demands for electricity. It was decommissioned in 1965.

Hammersmith power station
CountryEngland
LocationHammersmith, London
Coordinates51°29′24″N 00°13′18″W
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Commission date1897
Decommission date1965
Owner(s)Borough of Hammersmith
(1897–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1965)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam turbines
Cooling sourceTidal river water
Power generation
Units operational2 x 10 MW
Make and model10 MW Parsons
Nameplate capacity20 MW
Annual net output19.09 GWh (1946)

History

In 1893 the Vestry (parish council) of Hammersmith applied for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the parish. This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No.3) Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. xl). The power station was built off Fulham Palace Road, north of Yeldham Road (51°29'24"N 0°13'18"W) and first supplied electricity on 21 June 1897 to a potential population of 104,000 (1898).[1]

Equipment specification

The original 1898 plant at Hammersmith power station comprised Bellis and McClaren engines directly coupled to Ferranti flywheel disc alternators. The generating capacity and maximum connected load increased as shown:[1][2][3][4]

Hammersmith power station, generating capacity and load
Year Generating capacity, kW Maximum connected load, kW
1898 400 317
1904 2,500 1,596
1913 10,300 5,788
1919 10,300 8,389

Inter-war plant

Following the First World War further new plant was installed to meet growing demand for electricity. By 1923 the generating plant comprised:[5]

  • Coal-fired boilers generating up to 190,000 lb/h (23.9 kg/s) of steam, these supplied steam to:
  • Generators
    • 1 × 1,500 kW steam turbo-alternator
    • 2 × 2,000 kW steam turbo-alternators
    • 1 × 3,000 kW steam turbo-alternator
    • 1 × 10,000 kW steam turbo-alternator

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 18,500 kW of alternating current.[5]

The plant installed in 1919 included the UK's first large pulverised fuel fired boilers, these were provided on three of the units used a bin feed system. Hydraulic coal delivery was also introduced at Hammersmith.[6]

A choice of electricity supplies were available to consumers:

  • 2-phase, 50 Hz AC at 110 and 220 Volts
  • 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 110 and 220 Volts.

New plant 1937

In 1937 the generating capacity of the station was 28,500 kW, the maximum load was 23,850 kW, and the connections on the system were 69.822 MW.

By 1954 the plant comprised:[7]

  • Boilers:
    • 1 × 17,000 lb/h (2.1 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stoker,
    • 2 × 20,000 lb/h (2.5 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stokers,
    • 1 × 37,000 lb/h (4.7 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stoker,
    • 3 × 45,000 lb/h (5.7 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stokers,

The total evaporative capacity was 229,000 lb/h (28.8 kg/s), steam conditions were 200 psi and 620–650°F (13.8 bar, 327–343°C), and supplied steam to:

  • Turbo-alternators:
    • 2 × Parsons 10 MW turbo-alternators, 3000 rpm, generating at 6.6 kV

Condenser cooling water was taken from the River Thames.[7]

Operations

Operational data for the early years of operation was as follows:[1][2][3][4]

Hammersmith operational data 1898–1920
Year Number of consumers Public Lamps connected Electricity sold, MWh
1898 132 87 234.8
1904 1,469 252 2,223.9
1912 3,329 866 9,167.9
1919 4,603 880 15,962.8
1920 5,068 942 13,779.9

There was a growth in the number of consumers and the amount of current sold within yearly variations.

Operating data 1921–23

The operating data for the period 1921–23 is shown in the table:[5]

Hammersmith power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Lighting and domestic use MWh 2,723 2,732 3,332
Public lighting use MWh 924 886 1,062
Traction MWh – – –
Power use MWh 11,534 10,999 11,336
Total use MWh 15,498 15,262 16,255
Load and connected load
Maximum load kW 8,400 8,295 8,600
Total connections kW 16,243 18,629 19,500
Load factor Per cent 24.9 25.5 26.7
Financial
Revenue from sales of current £ – 175,794 148,353
Surplus of revenue over expenses £ – 52,656 72,603

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16-17 Geo. 5 c. 51)[8] the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926.[6] 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. Hammersmith power station was electrically connected to Fulham power station via twin 66 kV underground cables and to Barnes power station via triple 6.6 kV underground lines.[9]

Operating data 1937 and 1946

Hammersmith power station operating data, 1937 and 1946 is as follows.[10][11]

Hammersmith power station operating data, 1937 and 1946
Year Load factor per cent Max output load, MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency, per cent Customers
1937 39.1 23,850 74.803 (none generated) – 35,079
1946 13.6 16,032 19.095 12.6 –

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10-11 Geo. 6 c. 54).[12] The Hammersmith electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Hammersmith power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[6] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Hammersmith electricity undertaking were transferred to the London Electricity Board (LEB).

Operating data 1954–65

Operating data for the period 1954–65 is shown in the table:[7][13][14]

Hammersmith power station operating data, 1954–65
Year Running hours or load factor (per cent) Max output capacity  MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1954 593 17 3.436 7.73
1955 718 17 3.937 7.63
1956 502 17 3.518 7.60
1957 178 17 0.741 3.49
1958 267 17 1.136 4.77
1961 1.1 % 15 1.492 5.68
1962 1.6 % 15 2.147 6.63
1963 3.77 % 15 4.953 9.30
1964 2.85 % 15 3.461 8.82
1965 4.2 % 15 5.462 8.72

The data demonstrates the less intensive use of the power station during its last decade of operating life.

The electricity supplied, in MWh, by Hammersmith power station over its operating life was:

Closure

Hammersmith power station was decommissioned in 1965.[15] The buildings subsequently demolished and the area has been redeveloped with commercial and residential buildings.

See also

References
  1. Garcke, Emile (1898). Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3. London: P. S. King and Son. pp. 196–98.
  2. London County Council (1905). London Statistics vol. xv. London: London County Council. pp. 434–37.
  3. London Statistics vol XXIV. 1915.
  4. London Statistics vol XXVII. 1922.
  5. Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 38–41, 284–89.
  6. Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 42, 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN 085188105X.
  7. Garrett, Frederick C. (1959). Garcke’s Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-60, A-122.
  8. "Electricity (Supply) Act 1926". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  9. Pugh, H. V. (November 1957). "The Generation of Electricity in the London Area". Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. 105 (3): 484–97.
  10. Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. HMSO.
  11. London Statistics vol. 41. 1939.
  12. "Electricity Act 1947". 1947.
  13. CEGB Annual Report 1961, 1962, 1963 London: CEGB
  14. CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1964, 1965, London: CEGB
  15. Hammersmith is not listed in CEGB statistics after 1964/5.
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