Stourport power stations

The Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company had been founded in 1903 as the Shropshire and Worcestershire Electric Power Company. The company changed its name and obtained several local acts of Parliament to generate and supply electricity to areas of Shropshire and Worcestershire in the West Midlands.^[1] These acts included the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Act 1905 (5 Edw. 7. c. clx); Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Act 1914 (4 & 5 Geo. 5. c. lxxxiv); [[Shropshire Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Act 1918] (8 & 9 Geo. 5. c. xliii); and Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. cxxi).^[2] The company built and operated power stations at Dudley, Kidderminster and Smethwick.^[1]

In 1916 the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company and Birmingham Corporation developed a scheme to build two large power stations to meet their combined needs for electricity.^[3] The new power stations were to be at Nechells with two 15 MW generating sets and at Stourport with three 15 MW generating sets. However, the scheme was not taken forward on financial grounds.^[3]

Legal powers were sought to build a power station at Stourport.^[4] These powers were obtained under the provisions of the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. ciii).^[5] The Company built the A power station on a riverside site (52°20′01″N 2°16′28″W / 52.33361°N 2.27444°W / 52.33361; -2.27444) south of the town. The power station was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin on 2 June 1927.^[6]

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 to 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]

Stourport A power station was built in stages from 1926 to 1944, the latter under the direction of the CEB. It was initially known as Stourport power station and became Stourport A when the new station, Stourport B, was built in 1950.

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]