{{Short description|Power station in Lancashire}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox power station | name = Burnley power station | image = | image_caption = | coordinates = {{Coord|53|47|12|N|02|14|21|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | country = England | location = Burnley Lancashire | status = Decommissioned and demolished | construction_began = 1890 | commissioned = 1893 | decommissioned = 1958 | cost = | owner = Burnley Corporation<br />''(1890–1948)''<br />[[British Electricity Authority]]<br />''(1948–1955)''<br />[[Central Electricity Authority]]<br />''(1955–1957)''<br />[[Central Electricity Generating Board]]<br />''(1958)'' | operator = As owner | employees = | th_fuel_primary = Coal | ps_units_operational = | ps_units_manu_model = | ps_electrical_capacity = 8 MW (1923), 5 MW (1958) | ps_electrical_cap_fac = | ps_annual_generation = 7,810 MWh (1923), 1,585 MWh (1946) }}
'''Burnley power station''' supplied electricity to the town of [[Burnley]], Lancashire from 1893 to 1958. The electricity station was owned and operated by Burnley Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced, and had an ultimate generating capacity of 8 MW in the 1920s. The station closed in 1958.
== History == In 1890 Burnley Corporation applied for a provisional order under the [[Electric Lighting Acts 1882 to 1909|Electric Lighting Acts]] to generate and supply electricity to the town. The '''{{visible anchor|Burnley Electric Lighting Order 1890}}''' was granted by the [[Board of Trade]] and was confirmed by Parliament through the [[Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act 1890]] ([[53 & 54 Vict.]] c. clxxxvii).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Local Acts 1890|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/changes/chron-tables/local/96|access-date=31 October 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> The corporation built a 200 kW power station<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Clarke|first=Mike|date=21 November 2005|title=The Development of Electric Power in East Lancashire|url=http://www.mikeclarke.myzen.co.uk/ElecChron.htm|access-date=1 November 2020|website=myzen}}</ref> in Aqueduct Street, Burnley ({{coord|53|47|12|N|2|14|21|W}}) across the [[River Calder, Lancashire|River Calder]] from the town's gas works, adjacent to the [[Burnley Embankment]] on the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]],<ref>{{Cite map|title=Ordnance Survey 25 inch map England Lancashire LXIV.2 (Burnley), revised 1909 to 1910|url=https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/384309/432307/12/100674|year=1912}}</ref> It first supplied electricity to the town in September 1893.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Garcke|first=Emile|title=Manual of Electrical Undertakings 1898-99 vol. 3|publisher=P. S. King and Son London|year=1898|location=London|pages=127–28}}</ref>
The power station supplied electricity for the [[Burnley Corporation Tramways]] which operated a tramway service from 1901 to 1935.
In 1911 the Burnley electricity committee planned to expand the station with a 1,200 kW steam turbine with tandem generators, the projected cost was £8,129.<ref>{{Cite news|date=15 February 1911|title=Electric Supply Extensions|page=25|work=The Times}}</ref> By 1923 the generating capacity of the station was 8,000 kW. After [[Blackburn power stations#Blackburn East / Whitebirk|Blackburn East]] opened in 1921, construction was authorised of a 33 kVolt transmission line to Burnley via [[Accrington power station|Accrington]], however by 1925 only two miles had been completed between Burnley and Rose Grove.<ref name=":4" />
The Central Electricity Board constructed the [[National Grid (Great Britain)|National Grid]] (1927–33) to connect power stations and their electricity supply systems within a region.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Electricity Council|title=Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology|publisher=Electricity Council|year=1987|isbn=085188105X|location=London|pages=45, 60, 69, 73}}</ref> Larger power stations such as the nearby [[Padiham Power Station|Padiham A]] (28 MW, commissioned 1927) and Padiham B (240 MW, commissioned from 1962) could generate electricity more efficiently than small local stations such as Burnley.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Garrett|first=Frederick C.|title=Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56|publisher=Electrical Press|year=1959|location=London|pages=A-40}}</ref>
Burnley Corporation continued as the owner of the power station and electricity supply system until nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Electricity Act 1947|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/10-11/54/contents/enacted|access-date=31 October 2020|website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> Under nationalisation the Burnley electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of the power station was vested in the [[British Electricity Authority]], and subsequently the [[Central Electricity Authority]] and the [[Central Electricity Generating Board]] (CEGB).<ref name=":1" /> At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Burnley electricity undertaking were transferred to the [[Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board]] (MANWEB).
The power station continued to operate for another decade after nationalisation until it was closed in 1958<ref name=":2" /> and was subsequently demolished. The site has been redeveloped with commercial premises.
== Technical specification == The original plant at Burnley power station comprised Horizontal compound condensing engines coupled by ropes to Elwell-Parker dynamos.<ref name=":0" /> In 1898 the power station supplied 168 customers with 188,928 kWh of electricity; the maximum load was 456 kW. The revenue from the sale of electric current was £4,459 against a cost of generation of £1,526.<ref name=":0" />
By 1923 the generating plant comprised:<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Electricity Supply – 1920–23|publisher=HMSO|year=1925|location=London|pages=18–21, 266–71}}</ref>
* Coal-fired boilers supplying 116,000 lb/h (14.6 kg/s) of steam to: * Generators ** 1 × 250 kW [[reciprocating engine]] and direct current generator set ** 1 × 500 kW reciprocating engine and DC generator set ** 1 × 750 kW reciprocating engine and DC generator set ** 1 × 1,500 kW [[steam turbine]] and DC generator set ** 1 × 2,000 [[Alternator|turbo-alternator]] AC ** 1 × 3,000 turbo-alternator AC
These machines had a total generating capacity of 8,000 kW, of which 3,000 kW was DC and 5,000 kW [[alternating current]].<ref name=":3" />
Electricity supplies available to consumers were:<ref name=":3" />
* 3-phase 50 HZ AC at 6.6 kV * DC at 440 and 220 volts * DC traction current 530/565 volts
The final use of electricity over the period 1921–23 was:<ref name=":3" /> {| class="wikitable" |+Burnley electricity use 1921–23 ! rowspan="2" |Electricity Use ! rowspan="2" |Units ! colspan="3" |Year |- !1921 !1922 !1923 |- |Lighting and domestic |MWh |1,695 |1,771 |2,064 |- |Public lighting |MWh |12 |13 |11 |- |Traction |MWh |4,298 |3,625 |3,850 |- |Power |MWh |1,589 |2,014 |1,885 |- |'''Total use''' |'''MWh''' |'''7,594''' |'''7,424''' |'''7,810''' |} The electricity system operating parameters were:<ref name=":3" /> {| class="wikitable" |+Burnley electricity system 1921–23 ! rowspan="2" |Operating ! rowspan="2" |Units ! colspan="3" |Year |- !1921 !1922 !1923 |- |Maximum load |kW |3,375 |3,418 |3,788 |- |Total connections |kW |12,370 |13,158 |14,054 |- |Load factor |Per cent |30.0 |29.8 |29.3 |} Revenue from sales of current was £85,297 (1922) and £87,457 (1923). The surplus of revenue over expenses £16,567 (1922) and £45,341 (1923).<ref name=":3" />
In the year 1946 Burnley power station supplied 1,585 MWh of electricity, the maximum load was 6,479 kW.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Electricity Commissioners|title=Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946|publisher=HMSO|year=1947|location=London|pages=7}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry]] * [[List of power stations in England]] * [[Coal Clough Wind Farm]] - Present-day electricity generation in the [[Borough of Burnley]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{North West Power Stations}} {{Borough of Burnley culture}}
[[Category:Power stations in North West England]] [[Category:Coal-fired power stations in England]] [[Category:Demolished power stations in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Former power stations in England]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Burnley]] [[Category:History of Burnley Borough]]