Portishead power station

Portishead power station
Portishead B Power Station awaiting demolition in 1989.
Location of Portishead power station in Somerset
Country	England
Location	Somerset, South West England
Coordinates	51°29′28″N 2°45′18″W / 51.491177°N 2.755053°W / 51.491177; -2.755053Coordinates: 51°29′28″N 2°45′18″W / 51.491177°N 2.755053°W / 51.491177; -2.755053
Commission date	1929
Decommission date	1982
Operator(s)	Bristol Corporation Electricity Dept. CEGB
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Coal-fired
Tertiary fuel	Oil-fired
grid reference ST476771

Portishead Power Station refers to a series of two coal and oil-fired power stations. They were built in the dock area of Portishead in Somerset, South West England.

The original Portishead power station was built by Bristol Corporation's Electricity Department and it started generating in 1929. It was later expanded and renamed Portishead A Power Station; and Portishead B Power Station opened in the early 1950s. Both power stations were coal-fired; however Portishead B Power Station, as built, had one-third of its boilers oil-fired and two-thirds coal-fired. Both power stations were later converted to fully oil-fired operation.

They closed in the late 1970s and early 1980s respectively. The power station and dock area have since been demolished and cleared. The sites have now been redeveloped: the site of the two power stations is now occupied by housing and the dock has become a marina.

The first Portishead power station was built by Bristol Corporation's Electricity Department, as the Council's earlier power stations, the first at Temple Back, Bristol (opened 1891) and the second at the Feeder Canal, Bristol, became inadequate to meet the demand. Construction work at Portishead Dock started in 1926; and the station began generating electricity in 1929. With the creation of the Central Electricity Board (CEB) in 1926 and the establishment of the 132 kV National Grid, Portishead Power station, when it opened, remained under the day-to-day control of Bristol Corporation; but was also subject to control by the CEB. It supplied power to the national grid; and in 1931 its installed capacity was advertised as being in excess of 100,000 horsepower (75 MW). In 1937 its original six short chimney stacks were replaced by a 350 feet (110 m) high stack.

In 1947, the British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established, with the nationalisation of the UK's electricity supply industry, through the authority of the Electricity Act 1947. The BEA took over the operations of over 600 private power companies and local council electricity power stations to form 14 area boards. Portishead Power Station ceased to be owned by the Bristol Corporation and was now operated by the BEA. Generating capacity at Portishead was increased in 1948 and a second 350 feet (110 m) stack was added. By 1949 the station could generate 240 MW of electricity.