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Thornhill power station
Map
CountryEngland
LocationThornhill West Yorkshire
Coordinates53°40′38″N 01°39′17″W / 53.67722°N 1.65472°W / 53.67722; -1.65472
StatusSteam station demolished; CCGT operational
Construction began1901 (steam); 1996 (CCGT)
Commission date1902 (steam); 1998 (CCGT)
Decommission date1982 (steam);
Owner(s)Yorkshire Electric Power Company
(1900–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1982)
E.ON UK Cogeneration Limited
(1998–present)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal (steam); natural gas (CCGT)
Turbine technologySteam turbines (steam); gas turbine (CCGT)
Cooling towers2 (steam station)
Cooling sourceRiver water plus cooling towers
Cogeneration?No
Power generation
Units operational2 × 30 W, 3 × 45 MW (steam); 1 × 50 MW (CCGT)
Make and modelBritish Thomson-Houston and English Electric
Nameplate capacity186 MW (steam); 50 MW (CCGT)
Annual net output695 GWh (1955)
[edit on Wikidata]

The Thornhill power station generated and supplied electricity to the town of Dewsbury and the wider regional area from 1902 to 1982, and again from 1998. The first generating station on the site was owned and operated by the Yorkshire Electric Power Company. Following nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 Thornhill power station was operated by a succession of state owned bodies. The power station was redeveloped with new plant in 1915, 1925, 1932–37 and 1950–54. The coal-fired steam station was decommissioned in 1982, and was subsequently demolished. A gas turbine power station on the site was commissioned in 1998.

History

The Yorkshire Electric Power Company was established under the provisions of Yorkshire Electric Power Act 1901 (1 Edw. 7 c. cxvi).[1] A power station was built at Thornhill (53°40'38"N 1°39'17"W) on a site adjacent to the River Calder. The river provided water for cooling and condensing steam. It was also adjacent to a railway line which facilitated the delivery of coal via the power station’s sidings.[2] The station first generated electricity in 1902, and had a generating capacity of 4.5 MW.[3] As demand for electricity increased so new plant was installed. In 1915 two 6 MW generating machines were added together with a new boiler house.[3] Then in 1925 two 12.5 MW turbo-alternators were commissioned together with a third boiler house. Further boilers and two 30 MW turbo-alternators were commissioned in 1932–37. The final configuration of the steam station was achieved in 1950-54 with the addition of eight boilers and three 45 MW turbo-alternator sets.[4] At the end of its operational life in 1982 Thornhill power station had a declared generating capacity of 135 MW.[5]

The Yorkshire Electric Power Company also owned Barugh power station,[6] Ferrybridge ‘A’ power station and Mexborough power station.[7]

Equipment specification

When it was first commissioned in 1902 the plant at Thornhill comprised:[3]

The plant in 1923 comprised:[6][4]

  • Boilers delivering a total of 447,000 lb/h (56.3 kg/s) of steam to:
  • Turbo-alternators:
    • 3 × 1,500 kW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternators (installed 1902),
    • 1 × 3,000 kW turbo-alternator,
    • 2 × 6,000 kW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternators (installed 1915).

New plant was installed in 1932–37, this comprised:[4]

  • 8 × Stirling 90,000 lb/h (11.33 kg/s) boilers operating at 450 psi and 780 °F (31.0 bar and 416 °C). With Bailey furnaces with International Combustion chain grate stokers, these supplied steam to:
  • 2 × 30 MW English Electric turbo-alternators generating at 10.5 kV.

Under the British Electricity Authority new plant was installed in 1950–1954, this comprised:[4]

  • 8 × Mitchell 200,000 lb/h (25.2 kg/s) boilers operating at 450 psi and 885 °F (31.0 bar and 471 °C), with TG stokers, these supplied steam to:
  • 3 × 45 MW English Electric turbo-alternators generating at 10.5 kV,

The plant installed in 1932–37 and 1950–54 represents the final configuration of Thornhill power station.

The total steam raising capability was 2,320,000 lb/h (292.3 kg/s).[4]

The total installed generating capacity was 195 MW, and the output capacity was 186 MW.[4]

Condensing water was drawn from the River Calder. There were two concrete cooling towers each with a capacity of 3 million gallons per hour (3.79 m3/s).[4]

Thornhill 132 kV substation, north of the power station site, is a major connecting site with 132kV lines to/from Wakefield, Huddersfield, Birkenshaw, Elland and Norristhorpe.[8]

Operations

Operating data 1921–23

The operating data for the period 1921–23 is shown in the table:[6]

Thornhill power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity Use Units Year
1921 1922 1923
Power use MWh 48.928 45.742 64.050
Bulk supply to other undertakings MWh 7.810 9.065 14.015
Total use MWh 56.738 54.807 78.065
Load and connected load
Maximum load kW 20,230 21,704 28,092
Total connected load kW 62,600 68,364 82,000
Load factor Per cent 39.0 34.4 37.1
Financial
Revenue from sales of current £ – 350,150 340,338
Surplus of revenue over expenses £ – 125,813 161,916

The data shows that there was considerable growth in demand and use of electricity.

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16-17 Geo. 5 c. 51)[9] the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926.[10] The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively; Thornhill was designated a selected station. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region, there is a 132 kV substation at Thornhill.[8]

Operating data 1946

Thornhill power station operating data, 1946 is given below.[7]

Thornhill power station operating data, 1946
Year Load factor per cent Max output load MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1946 53.7 64,700 302.406 20.10

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

Operating data 1954–82

Operating data for the period 1954–82 is shown in the table:[4][12][13][14][5]

Thornhill power station operating data, 1954–82
Year Running hours or load factor (per cent) Max output capacity  MW Electricity supplied GWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1954 8191 143 568.150 22.54
1955 8488 186 695.040 23.10
1956 7799 186 587.180 22.90
1957 6699 186 465.334 22.67
1958 6154 186 483.273 22.69
1961 36.2% 186 589.703 21.56
1962 37.8% 186 615.139 20.59
1963 32.30% 186 526.339 20.72
1967 42.1 % 186 686.530 20.44
1972 31.1% 157 430.758 19.56
1979 17.6% 129 199.097 20.01
1982 – 129 3.396 –

Thornhill steam power station was decommissioned on 1 November 1982.[3] It was subsequently demolished.

Gas turbine station

Thornhill combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station was commissioned in 1998. It is owned and operated by E.ON UK Cogeneration Limited. It comprises a single natural gas fired gas turbine with an associated heat recovery boiler, a single steam turbine, an electrical generator and a steam condensing and cooling system.[15] The latter uses water from the River Calder in a once through cooling system which discharges back to the river. The exhaust gases are discharged to atmosphere through 30 m tall stack.[15]

The station has a net thermal input of 106 MWth and provides an electrical output of 50 MWe in combined mode. It can also operate as an open cycle gas turbine (OCGT).[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Yorkshire Electric Power Act 1901". legislation.gov.uk. 1901. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Ordnance Survey 25 inch map Yorkshire CCXLVII.7 (Dewsbury), Revised 1937, Published: 1940". National Library of Scotland. 1937. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Industrial Heritage Online Thornhill Power Station". Industrial history online. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Garrett, Frederick C. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-99–100, A-136.
  5. ^ a b CEGB (1982). Statistical Yearbook 1981-82. London: CEGB. p. 8. ISBN 0902543695.
  6. ^ a b c Electricity Commission (1925). Electricity Supply - 1920-23. London: HMSO. pp. 224–27, 508–13.
  7. ^ a b Electricity Commission (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO. p. 15.
  8. ^ a b Open Infrastructure Map. "Open Infrastructure Map". Open Infrastructure online. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Electricity (Supply) Act 1926". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  10. ^ a b Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN 085188105X.
  11. ^ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. 1947. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  12. ^ CEGB Annual Reports, 1961, 1962 & 1963 London CEGB
  13. ^ CEGB (1972). Statistical Yearbook 1972. London: CEGB. p. 15.
  14. ^ CEGB (1979). Statistical Yearbook 1978-79. London: CEGB. p. 8. ISBN 0902543598.
  15. ^ a b c "Notice of variation and consolidation with introductory note Environment Agency" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornhill_power_station

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