| Upper Boat power station | |
| Country: | Wales |
| Location: | Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff |
| Status: | Decommissioned and demolished |
| Construction Began: | 1900, 1922 |
| Commissioned: | 1904, 1924 |
| Decommissioned: | 1972 |
| Owner: | South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company (1922–1948) British Electricity Authority (1948–1955) Central Electricity Authority (1955–1957) Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–1972) |
| Operator: | As owner |
| Th Fuel Primary: | Coal |
| Th Technology: | Steam turbines |
| Ps Chimneys: | Multiple |
| Ps Cooling Towers: | 1 |
| Ps Cooling Source: | River water and cooling tower |
| Ps Units Operational: | 1 × 18 MW, 1 × 25 MW, 1 × 20 MW, 3 × 30 MW |
| Ps Units Manu Model: | Parsons and English Electric |
| Ps Electrical Capacity: | 155 MW |
| Ps Annual Generation: | 816 GWh (1946) |
Upper Boat power station supplied electricity to the town of Pontypridd and the wider area from 1904 to 1972. The power station was developed in several stages firstly in 1902, then from 1924 to 1942. It was owned and operated by the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The station was decommissioned in 1972 and was demolished in 1976.
| Short Title: | South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1900 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Year: | 1900 |
| Citation: | 63 & 64 Vict. c. cclxxxii |
| Collapsed: | yes |
| Short Title: | South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1920 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Year: | 1920 |
| Citation: | 10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. vi |
| Royal Assent: | 20 May 1920 |
| Collapsed: | yes |
| Short Title: | South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1922 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Year: | 1922 |
| Citation: | 12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. lxvii |
| Royal Assent: | 20 July 1922 |
| Original Text: | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5/12-13/67/pdfs/ukla_19220067_en.pdf |
| Collapsed: | yes |
Upper Boat power station was built by the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company from 1902. The company was established by Parliament through the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict. c. cclxxxii).[1] The legal authority to undertake redevelopment was given by local acts of Parliament: the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1920 (10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. vi)[2] and the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company Act 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. lxvii).[3] The company also owned and operated Llynfi power station and generating stations at Abercarn, Caerphilly, Cowbridge, Llantwit Fardre, Panteg, and St. Mellons.[4]
The power station at Upper Boat (51°34'34"N 3°18'07"W) was adjacent to the Great Western Railway and the generating station had sidings for the delivery of coal.[5] The site was also adjacent to the River Taff which provided water for cooling.
The foundation stone was laid on 30 April 1902. Electricity was first generated in 1904.[6]
The new (1924-42) plant at Upper Boat power station was installed in several phases:[7]
The plant comprised:
The total evaporative capacity of the boilers was 1,754,000 lb/h (221 kg/s).
The total installed generating capacity was 155 MW, and the output capacity was 144 MW.
Condensing water was taken from River Taff at 6.42 million gallons per hour (8.11 m3/s); there was 1 Film reinforced concrete cooling tower with a capacity of 2.25 million gallons per hour (2.84 m3/s).
There was a 132 kV substation south east of the power station that provided the electricity connection to the national grid. Later a 275 kV substation was built south of the power station.[8]
By 1923 the station had a generating capacity of 14 MW, and sold 49 GWh of electricity.[9]
Soon after the commissioning of the new plant at Upper Boat power station the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16-17 Geo. 5 c. 51)[10] was enacted. This established the Central Electricity Board (CEB) with a duty to identify high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively; Upper Boat was designated a selected station. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region.[11]
From about 1937 steam from the station was used to provide process and space heating to the nearby Treforest trading estate.
The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948 under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10-11 Geo. 6 c. 54).[12] The South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company was abolished, ownership of Upper Boat power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Company were transferred to the South Wales Electricity Board (SWALEB).
Operating data for the period 1946–72 is shown in the table:[13] [14] [15]
| 1946 | 61.9 % | 150.6 | 816.407 | 19.81 | |
| Low pressure station | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 8558 | 59 | 206.540 | 13.67 | |
| 1955 | 8387 | 59 | 150.843 | 12.62 | |
| 1956 | 8191 | 59 | 118.167 | 11.44 | |
| 1957 | 8307 | 59 | 130.762 | 12.17 | |
| 1958 | 4572 | 59 | 68.196 | 10.23 | |
| High pressure station | |||||
| 1954 | 8577 | 85 | 439.935 | 24.05 | |
| 1955 | 8610 | 85 | 542.770 | 23.40 | |
| 1956 | 8710 | 85 | 499.832 | 23.52 | |
| 1957 | 7663 | 85 | 343.261 | 23.76 | |
| 1958 | 7074 | 85 | 311.837 | 23.18 | |
| Combined output | |||||
| 1961 | 12.8 % | 144 | 161.506 | 18.12 | |
| 1962 | 9.8 % | 144 | 123.986 | 17.88 | |
| 1963 | 14.03 % | 144 | 223.004 | 13.69 | |
| 1967 | 17.3 % | 127 | 192.141 | 18.94 | |
| 1972 | 11.6 % | 80 | 77.392 | 18.19 | |
Upper Boat power station was decommissioned in 1972. The buildings subsequently demolished in 1976[16] and the area has been redeveloped with industrial and commercial units. The 132 kV and 275 kV substations are extant (2020).