Lymington power station

Lymington power station supplied electricity to the town of Lymington, Hampshire and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1959. The electricity generating station was owned and operated by a succession of electricity companies prior to nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The station was initially coal-fired but later oil engines were installed. Lymington power station was closed on 31 March 1959.

Lymington power station
CountryEngland
LocationLymington Hampshire
Coordinates50°45′27″N 01°32′04″W
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Commission date1899
Decommission date31 March 1959
Owner(s)Lymington Electric Light and Power Company Limited
(1894–1927)
Wessex Electricity Company
(1927–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1959)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal, fuel oil
Turbine technologysteam engines, oil engines
Power generation
Units operational2 x 750 kW steam (1923), 490 kW oil engines (1959)
Nameplate capacity1500 kW (1923), 490 kW (1959)
Annual net output178 MWh (1923)

History

In 1894 Lymington Electric Light and Power Company Limited obtained a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to Lymington. This was confirmed by Parliament in the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 14) Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c. cxxxix).[1] The company built a power station at Bath Road, Lymington (50°45'27"N 1°32'04"W)[2] which first supplied electricity to the town in 1899. The company owned and operated the power station and electricity supply system.

The Wessex Electricity Company was formed on 29 July 1927 with the aim to develop an integrated power supply system over a large area of southern England.[3] The Wessex company took over several company and municipal electricity undertakings including the power stations at Amesbury, Andover, Chipping Norton, Downton, Frome, Lymington, Newbury and Yeovil.[4] The company aimed to modernise, rationalise and integrate the distribution networks of its constituent companies. At Lymington the coal-fired plant was decommissioned and oil fuelled internal combustion engines were installed.[5] [6] In 1939 the share capital of the Wessex company was wholly owned by Edmundsons Electricity Corporation Limited.[7] In June 1939 the Wessex company raised capital by the sale of £1.5 million of debenture stock.[7]

Upon nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948 the Wessex company was abolished, ownership of Lymington power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[8] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Wessex electricity undertaking were transferred to the Southern Electricity Board (SEB).[8]

The power station continued to operate for a decade after nationalisation until it was closed by the CEGB on 31 March 1959,[6] and was subsequently demolished. The site has been redeveloped with commercial premises.

Technical specifications

In 1923 the generating plant comprised:[5]

Electricity was available to consumers at 480 and 240 Volts DC.

The end use of electricity over the period 1921–23 was:[5]

Lymington electricity use 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Lighting and domestic MWh 78 77 86
Public lighting MWh 10 9 9
Traction MWh 0 0 0
Power MWh 86 61 81
Bulk supply MWh 0 0 0
Total use MWh 174 148 178

The operating parameters of the electricity system were:[5]

Lymington electricity system 1921–23
Operating Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Maximum load kW 122 125 128
Total connections kW 964 969 949
Load factor Per cent 20.9 17.8 20.2

Revenue from sales of current was £5,391 (1922) and £6,116 (1923). The surplus of revenue over expenses £2,864 (1922) and £3,445 (1923).[5]

By 1957 the steam plant had been decommissioned and the generating plant comprised diesel sets: 1 × 90 kW and 2 × 200 kW giving an output of 0.485 MW.[9]

The electricity output and operating data in the final years was:[4] [6]

Lymington electricity output and operating data
Year Running hours Maximum output capacity kW Electricity supplied MWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1946 – 518 (max load supplied) 124 –
1954 521 530 231 83.7
1955 557 530 248 84.0
1956 588 530 285 91.5
1957 126 490 61 98.8
1958 144 490 62 87.9

See also

References
  1. "Local Acts 1894". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  2. Ordnance Survey 6-inch England Hampshire & Isle of Wight LXXXVIII.NE (includes: Boldre; Lymington.), revised 1907, published 1909
  3. Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. pp. 228–9. ISBN 0333220862.
  4. Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 15.
  5. Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 176–79, 454–459.
  6. Garrett, Frederick C. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-74, A-142.
  7. "Wessex Electricity Company". The Times. 29 June 1939. p. 19.
  8. Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 60–61, 69, 76. ISBN 085188105X.
  9. Electrical Journal (1957). Electricity Undertakings of the World 1957-8. London: Benn Brothers. p. 59.
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