Aire valley power stations explained

Aire valley power station may refer to one or all of three power stations on the River Aire in Yorkshire, England:[1]

By the 1990s, the three power stations generated 20% of Britain's electricity,[1] and contributed 56% of the Yorkshire and Humber region's greenhouse gas emissions, primarily CO2 (~2010).[2] In 2006 the combined generating capacity was approximately 8 GW (Ferrybridge C, 2 GW; Eggborough, 2 GW, Drax 4 GW).[3]

The power stations were built during the post-Beeching era,[3] close to the Selby Coalfield which supplied them via Gascoigne Wood until the field's closure at the beginning of the 21st century.[4] [5] Thereafter, coal was imported to fuel the power stations, much of it through the Humber ports (primarily Immingham, also Port of Hull) and other east coast ports (Redcar, Tyne, Blyth). Further coal was supplied from open cast coal mines in Ayrshire, Scotland, as well as being imported via Scotland (Hunterston Terminal).[6]

Ferrybridge and Eggborough power stations were scheduled to close in March 2016.[7] Ferrybridge closed according to schedule on 31 March 2016,[8] while Eggborough continued to operate for almost two more years[9] before being decommissioned in February 2018.[10] By 2022, Ferrybridge and Eggborough were fully demolished.

Demolition

In July 2019, one of the eight cooling towers was demolished with explosives as a test at Ferrybridge,[11] then in October 2019, four of the seven remaining cooling towers were demolished.[12] On 1 August 2021, four of the eight cooling towers at Eggborough were demolished.[13] Later on 22 August, the two chimney stacks, boiler house and bunker bay were demolished at Ferrybridge.[14] On 10 October 2021, the final four cooling towers at Eggborough were demolished.[15] On 6 March 2022, the coal bunker building at Eggborough known as 'Bunker Bay' was demolished.[16] On the evening of 17 March 2022, the three remaining cooling towers at Ferrybridge were demolished.[17] On 1 June 2022, a section of the boiler house at Eggborough known as 'DA Bay' was demolished.[18] [19] On 24 July 2022, the chimney and boiler house were demolished at Eggborough.[20]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pickering, Kevin T.. An introduction to global environmental issues. registration. 162. Lewis A. . Owen. 2. Routledge. 1997. 0-415-14098-6.
  2. Book: House of Commons North West Regional Committee. The Stationery Office. Fig.1 "Large Point Sources of Carbon Emissions in the Region by size and sector, 2006", Ev.2; "Environment Agency", Ev. 9. 978-0-215-55352-2. 2010.
  3. Book: Haywood, Russ . pp.128–129; Appendix 10, "Rail freight services and power stations: 1970–2005", p.359. Railways, urban development and town planning in Britain: 1948–2008. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. 2009. 978-0-7546-7392-7.
  4. http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=398856&section=2.6. 2.6 Underground mining. Energy resources: Coal. The Open University. 1 April 2012.
  5. Electricity Supplies. Hansard: House of Commons. 25 July 1983. 46. cc770-1. How will Ferrybridge, Eggborough, Drax and other power stations be supplied with coal if Selby cannot supply them?.
  6. Web site: Freight: Route Utilisation Strategy. March 2007. Network Rail. pp.3; 5; 37; 90; 101; 125, "Figure B1: Key import coal routes and coal loading points". 1 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302212305/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/freight/freight%20rus.pdf. 2 March 2012. dead.
  7. News: Power station begins closure consultation. September 2015. BBC. 3 September 2015.
  8. News: Ferrybridge C coal-fired power station closes after 50 years. 23 March 2016. BBC News. BBC. 23 March 2016.
  9. News: Reprieve for threatened Eggborough Power Station. BBC News. 11 March 2016.
  10. Web site: Eggborough power station to close with loss of 170 jobs. 22 August 2021. BBC News. 2 February 2018.
  11. Web site: Tower demolished at Ferrybridge Power Station. BBC News. 12 March 2022.
  12. News: Ferrybridge Power Station: Live updates as four more cooling towers are demolished. 13 October 2019. Wakefield Express. https://web.archive.org/web/20191013073228/https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/ferrybridge-power-station-live-updates-as-four-more-cooling-towers-are-demolished-1-10047192. 13 October 2019.
  13. News: Grace. Hammond. Onlookers gather to watch as huge cooling towers are demolished at landmark Yorkshire power station. 12 March 2022. The Yorkshire Post.
  14. Web site: Withers. Laura. Live Ferrybridge Power Station demolition as M62 and surrounding roads closed. Leeds Live. 22 August 2021. 12 March 2022.
  15. News: Hutchinson. Andrew. Eggborough power station demolition: Remaining cooling towers come crashing down. The Yorkshire Post. 10 October 2021. 10 October 2021.
  16. News: Newton. Grace. Watch moment 12,000-ton coal bunker at Eggborough power station is demolished with explosives. 8 March 2022. The Yorkshire Post. 8 March 2022.
  17. News: 17 March 2022. Final Ferrybridge power station cooling towers demolished. BBC News. 21 March 2022.
  18. News: Pritchard. Jonathan. Eggborough power station demolition: Watch latest demolition carried out at iconic site. 3 June 2022. The Yorkshire Post. 2 June 2022.
  19. News: Regeneration continues at Eggborough Power Station site. 3 June 2022. Selby Times. 1 June 2022.
  20. News: 2022-07-24 . Watch as final part of Eggborough power station is demolished with explosives ITV News . en-GB . ITV News . 2022-07-24.

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