Haverfordwest power station explained

Haverfordwest power station
Country:	Wales
Location:	Haverfordwest
Status:	Decommissioned
Commissioned:	1931
Decommissioned:	Late 1960s
Owner:	West Cambrian Power Company Limited (1931–1948) British Electricity Authority (1948–1955) Central Electricity Authority (1955–1957) Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–1970)
Operator:	As owner
Th Fuel Primary:	Fuel oil
Ps Units Operational:	Eight diesel engines
Ps Units Manu Model:	see text
Ps Electrical Capacity:	8 MW
Ps Annual Generation:	13.83 GWh (1954)

Haverfordwest power station supplied electricity to the town of Haverfordwest, Wales and the surrounding area from 1931 to the late 1960s. It was initially owned and operated by the West Cambrian Power Company Limited, then by the British Electricity Authority following nationalisation in 1948. It comprised diesel engines driving electricity alternators.

History

Haverfordwest power station was commissioned in 1931 and further generating plant was added up to 1954.^[1] The power station was owned and operated by the West Cambrian Power Company Limited which also owned the power stations at Lampeter, Llandysul and St. Clears.^[2] The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948, and the power company was abolished and ownership of Haverfordwest power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority. The power station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.^[3]

Plant

The station finally comprised eight diesel engines driving alternators. The engines were by the following manufacturers:

• 3 × Fraser & Chalmers
• 2 × Atlas
• 1 × BPE
• 2 × Crosley

Six of the alternators were by GEC and two were Brush, the range of generating capacities were:

• 2 × 1.2 MW
• 2 × 1 MW
• 1 × 1.05 MW
• 1 × 0.575 MW
• 2 × 1.2 MW

All the alternators generated current at 11 kV.

Operations

Operating data for the period 1946–67 was:^[4]

Haverfordwest power station operating data, 1946–67!Year!Running hours or load factor (per cent)!Max output capacity  kW!Electricity supplied MWh!Thermal efficiency per cent

1946	(32.5 %)	4,120	4558	28.38
1954	5249	6,025	13,832	43.7
1955	3546	8,465	9,891	33.0
1956	1271	8,465	5,557	51.6
1957	784	8,465	3,128	47.11
1958	671	8,465	3,060	53.9
1961	(10.6 %)	8,000	7,399	27.52
1962	(3.8 %)	8,000	2,659	32.16
1963	(10.59 %)	7,000	7,423	31.00
1967	(28.2 %)	7,000	17,290	30.94

See also

• Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
• List of power stations in Wales

Notes and References

1. Book: Garrett, Frederick. Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. Electrical Press. 1959. London. A-62, A-142.
2. Book: Electricity Commissioners. Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. HMSO. 1947. London. 15.
3. Haverfordwest is mentioned in the CEGB Statistical Yearbook for 1967 but not in the 1972 edition
4. CEGB Annual report and Accounts, 1961, 1962 & 1963