Stourport power stations

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established.[7] The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most efficient and effectively; Stourport became a 'selected' station. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region.[7][3]

In 1938 the CEB directed the company to install an additional 30 MW of plant at Stourport including boilers in time for commercial operation in 1940.[8]

In 1938 the Company obtained a Local Act of Parliament: the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power (Consolidation) Act 1938 (1 & 2 Geo. 6 c. lviii). This Act consolidated into one volume the numerous Acts that the Company operated under for many years.[9]

In 1939 the CEB permitted the Company close its older power stations at Smethwick and Hereford.[9] Power lines were installed from Stourport to the site of the Smethwick station to enable Smethwick to be supplied with electricity from Stourport power station.[9]  

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company undertaking was abolished, ownership of Stourport power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).[7] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the company were transferred to the Midlands Electricity Board (MEB).[7]

The A station had a low pressure steam side and a high pressure side and comprised:[10]

• Coal-fired boilers:
  • Low pressure
    • 4 × 50,000 lb/h (6.3 kg/s) Stirling boilers, 350 psi at 686 °F (24.1 bar at 363 °C)
    • 2 × 90,000 lb/h (11.33 kg/s) Stirling boilers, 350 psi at 686 °F (24.1 bar at 363 °C)
    • 2 × 100,000 lb/h (12.60 kg/s) Stirling boilers, 350 psi at 686 °F (24.1 bar at 363 °C)
  • High pressure
    • 8 × 160,000 lb/h (20.16 kg/s) Stirling boilers, 650 psi at 850° (44.83 bar at 454 °C)
• Generating plant:[10]
  • Low pressure
    • 2 × 18 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternators (AC) each with a 250 kW DC auxiliary generator
    • 1 × 20 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternator
  • High pressure
    • 1 × 35 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternator
    • 3 × 30 MW English Electric turbo-alternators
  • House set
    • 1 × 750 kW DC British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternator
• The main sets generated current at 33 kV and 11 kV.

Coal was delivered to the station by barge from the River Severn and by railway along a specially constructed branch from the Severn Valley Railway line to an extensive coal store north of the station buildings.[11][12] Cooling water for the condensers was drawn from the River Severn.[10]

Operating details of the A station was as follows:[10]

The decline in use (the reduced running hours) in the mid-1950s is evident; the thermal efficiency is also low.

Operating details of the A station high pressure plant are as follows:[10][13][14][15]

In 1963 and 1972 the only operational turbo-alternator sets were the HP 1 × 35 MW and 3 × 30 MW.[13][14]

In November 1952 one man was killed and one seriously injured at Stourport power station when they fell 100 feet from a hoist inside a chimney.[16]

In 1959 experimental heat pumps were installed at Stourport and Meaford power stations to heat the administrative buildings.[7]

Stourport A power station closed on 30 October 1978 when its generating capacity had fallen to 57 MW.[17]

The B station comprised the following plant:[10]

Two ‘Unit’ boilers:

• 1 × Stirling, two drum, pulverised coal-fired boiler, evaporative capacity 525,000 lb/h (66.15 kg/s), steam conditions 1,275 psi at 975 °F (87.93 bar at 524 °C) (No. 1 LP unit).  The furnace of this boiler was a slag-tap type, the first use of this type in the UK.[7]
• 1 × International Combustion, two drum, pulverised coal-fired boiler, evaporative capacity 515,000 lb/h (64.89 kg/s), steam conditions 1,550 psi at 1060 °F (106.9 bar at 571 °C) (No. 2 unit).

Generators:

• 2 × 60 MW English Electric hydrogen cooled turbo-alternators. Three cylinder double-flow type.  No. 1 (LP unit) and No. 2 HP Unit. Both generated current at 11 kV. The No. 2 generator, commissioned in 1954, had the most advanced steam conditions of any turbine on the United Kingdom public supply system: 1500 psi at 1050 °F (103.4 bar at 566 °C) at the turbine stop valve.[7]

The voltage was stepped up to 33 kV and 66 kV.

Cooling water for the condensers was drawn from the river.[10]

Operating details of the B station was as follows:[10][18]

In 1959/60 Stourport B L.P. was one of the CEGB's 20 steam power stations with the highest thermal efficiency.[18]

The combined output from the low and high pressure plant is given below:[10][13][14][19][20]

In 1959/60 Stourport B H.P. was one of the CEGB's 20 steam power stations with the highest thermal efficiency.[18]

The decline in use (the load factor) in the 1970s is evident.

The overall output of the station (A & B) in GWh is shown on the graph:

Stourport B power station was closed in 1984 and was subsequently demolished.[11] The area is now a housing estate. One of the roads is named Power Station Road.