Walthamstow Power Station supplied electricity to the Borough of Walthamstow London from 1901 until 1968.
History Authorisation for an electricity generation and supply system for the Borough of Walthamstow was granted in the , confirmed 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 to the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow. The power station in Exeter Street had three brick chimneys and an array of wooden cooling towers.
In 1923 the revenue to the borough from sales of electricity was £109,909. 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. +Walthamstow power station: plant and operating dataYear19221937194719501958Steam raising, lb/hr170,000242,000242,000250,000220,000Turbo-alternators, MW2 × 0.6
2 × 1.5
1 × 3.30
2 × 0.3 note
1 × 1.0 DC2 × 1.75
1 × 3.5
1 × 5.5
1 × 7.0
1 × 1.0 DC2 × 1.75
1 × 3.5
1 × 5.5
1 × 7.02 × 1.75
1 × 3.5
1 × 5.5
1 × 7.0Maximum load, kW5,50921,55033,96013,00013,000Total connections, kW14,61681,039Electricity generated, MWh14,39665,98016,110Electricity purchased, MWhNil68,400124,184Electricity sold, MWh11,60462,370108,27611,4263,585Gross surplus, £44,57490,23749,497Number of consumers32,84335,142 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).
The generating capacity of Walthamstow power station and the electricity generated over selected years of its operational life was as follows.CEGB Statistical Yearbook (1964-67). CEGB, London. +Walthamstow power station, capacity and outputYearGenerating capacity, MWElectricity generated, GWh1913–5.44192314.117.72193620.53.64194615.216.59194715.018.2619481319.2619501311.431954136.9581955133.531956132.891957131.011958133.58196119.52.39196419.53.41196619.57.06196719.57.34
Closure The CEGB closed the station in March 1968 when the thermal efficiency had fallen to 9.30 per cent.CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1964-67. CEGB, London. 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.
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