Walthamstow Power Station supplied electricity to the Borough of Walthamstow London from 1901 until 1968.

Walthamstow power station
CountryEngland
LocationBorough of Walthamstow
Coordinates51°34′55″N 0°01′23″W / 51.58194°N 0.02306°W / 51.58194; -0.02306
StatusDecommissioned, demolished
Commission date1901
Owner(s)Borough of Walthamstow
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam raising, steam turbines and reciprocating engines
Chimneys3
Cooling towers5
Cooling sourceCooling towers
Power generation
Nameplate capacitySee tables

History

Authorisation for an electricity generation and supply system for the Borough of Walthamstow was granted in 1895 by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No.3) Act 1895 (58 & 59 Vict. c. lxviii). However, no work was undertaken until 1900.

The station began to supply electricity on 20 September 1901[1] to the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow. The power station in Exeter Street had three brick chimneys and an array of wooden cooling towers.[2]

In 1923 the revenue to the Borough from sales of electricity was £109,909.[3] Upon nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948 ownership of the station passed to the British Electricity Authority and later to the Central Electricity Authority then to the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).

Electricity generation

The generating plant and operating data for the power station plant at selected years is summarised in the following table.[4][5][6][7]

Walthamstow power station: plant and operating data
Year 1922 1937 1947 1950 1958
Steam raising, lb/hr 170,000 242,000 242,000 250,000 220,000
Turbo-alternators, MW 2 × 0.6

2 × 1.5

1 × 3.30

2 × 0.3 note

1 × 1.0 DC

 2 × 1.75

1 × 3.5

1 × 5.5

1 × 7.0

1 × 1.0 DC

 2 × 1.75

1 × 3.5

1 × 5.5

1 × 7.0

 2 × 1.75

1 × 3.5

1 × 5.5

1 × 7.0

Maximum load, kW 5,509 21,550 33,960 13,000 13,000
Total connections, kW 14,616 81,039
Electricity generated, MWh 14,396 65,980 16,110
Electricity purchased, MWh Nil 68,400 124,184
Electricity sold, MWh 11,604 62,370 108,276 11,426 3,585
Gross surplus, £ 44,574 90,237 49,497
Number of consumers 32,843 35,142

Note. Reciprocating engine, DC supply.

There were five wooden type cooling towers with a total combined cooling capacity of 1.115 million gallons per hour (5069 m3/hr).[8]

The generating capacity of Walthamstow power station and the electricity generated over selected years of its operational life was as follows.[3][9][10][6][8][7]

Walthamstow power station, capacity and output
Year Generating capacity, MW Electricity generated, GWh
1913 – 5.44
1923 14.1 17.72
1936 20.5 3.64
1946 15.2 16.59
1947 15.0 18.26
1948 13 19.26
1950 13 11.43
1954 13 6.958
1955 13 3.53
1956 13 2.89
1957 13 1.01
1958 13 3.58
1961 19.5 2.39
1964 19.5 3.41
1966 19.5 7.06
1967 19.5 7.34

Closure

The CEGB closed the station in March 1968[1] when the thermal efficiency had fallen to 9.30 per cent.[10][11] It was subsequently demolished, apart from a small number of buildings which are retained as Exeter Street substation and Walthamstow tee point, operated by UK Power Networks.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 Horne, M.A.C. (2012). "London Area Power Supply" (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "Exeter Road power station". Facebook. 1950s. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 London County Council (1926). London statistics 1924-5 vol. 30. London: London County Council. pp. 298–305.
  4. ↑ Electricity Commission (1925). Electricity Supply 1920-1923. London: HMSO. pp. E98-101, F326-31.
  5. ↑ Electricity Commission (1939). Electricity Supply 1937-1938,. London: HMSO. pp. E118-21 F412-17.
  6. 1 2 "British Power Stations operating at 31 December 1961". Electrical Review. 1 June 1962: 931. 1962.
  7. 1 2 Garcke's Manual of Electrical Supply, 1958-59 Vol 56. London: Electrical Press. 1959. pp. A-105, A-137.
  8. 1 2 Garcke's Manual of Electrical Supply, 1950-51 Vol 48. London: Electrical Press. 1951. pp. A-113, A-141.
  9. ↑ London County Council (1934). London Statistics 1932-3. London: London County Council. pp. 330–49.
  10. 1 2 CEGB Statistical Yearbook (1964-67). CEGB, London.
  11. ↑ CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1964-67. CEGB, London.
  12. ↑ "UKPN, Regional Development Plan" (PDF).
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