Dolgelley or Dolgellau power station was a combined diesel and hydroelectric generating station. It provided electricity to the town of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales and the surrounding district from 1936 until the 1960s.
Dolgellau Urban District Council constructed a combined diesel engine and water-turbine electricity generating plant at Frongoch Dolgellau.[1] In 1936–7 the Electricity Commissioners had authorised the Council to obtain a loan of £4,979 for building work, the purchase of plant, the installation of mains, and the provision of customers’ meters.[2] Upon the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 the Dolgellau power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority.[3] The power station was decommissioned in the 1960s.[4]
The owners and operators of the power station over its operational life were: Dolgellau Urban District Council (1935–48), British Electricity Authority](1948–55), Central Electricity Authority (1955–57), Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–70).
The plant at Dolgellau power station comprised:[5]
The total generating capacity was 148 kW, the generating sets operated at 400 V alternating current.
The operating conditions and electricity output of Dolgellau power station were:[6] [7]
| 1946 | – | – | 288.6 | – | – | |
| 1954 | 6157 | 148 | 637 | 69.9 | – | |
| 1955 | 6706 | 148 | 682 | 68.8 | – | |
| 1956 | 4682 | 148 | 441 | 63.6 | – | |
| 1957 | 4118 | 148 | 346 | 56.8 | – | |
| 1958 | 6657 | 148 | 476 | 48.3 | – | |
| 1961 | – | 82 hydro + 66 diesel | 211 | 16.3 | 28.14 | |
| 1962 | – | 82 + 66 | 278 | 21.5 | 28.72 | |
| 1963 | – | 82 + 66 | 242 | 27.63 | 27.86 | |
| 1967 | – | 82 + 66 | 432 | 33.6 | 28.02 |