Uskmouth power stations facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Uskmouth power stations |
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Uskmouth B Power Station
Viewed from the south east, September 2007 |
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| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Location | Newport |
| Coordinates | 51°32′57″N 2°58′14″W / 51.549071°N 2.970539°W |
| Status | A station: Demolished B station: Operational |
| Construction began | A station: 1948 B station: 1957 |
| Commission date | A station: 1952 B station: 1959 |
| Decommission date | A station: 1981 |
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The Uskmouth power stations are two power plants located near the mouth of the River Usk in Newport, Wales. They are also known as the Fifoots Point power stations.
The first plant, Uskmouth A power station, was built in the 1940s. It was taken down in 2002. The second plant, Uskmouth B power station, was built in the 1950s. It is currently being changed to run on biomass (like wood pellets) and waste plastic.
Contents
Uskmouth A Power Station
Building for Uskmouth A power station began in April 1948. The first part started making electricity in December 1952. More parts were added over the next few years.
This power station had four large machines called turbo-alternators. They each made 60 megawatts (MW) of power. Twelve boilers heated water to make steam. This steam powered the turbines.
- In 1954, the station could make 168 MW of power.
- By 1955, its full power was 228 MW.
- The station made a lot of electricity, for example, over 2,100 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 1958.
In 1958, one of the steam turbines had a serious mechanical problem. This caused parts of the turbine to break off. Uskmouth A power station was closed on October 26, 1981. The entire station was taken down in 2002.
Uskmouth B Power Station
Uskmouth B power station, also called Uskmouth Power, was approved in May 1957. It started working in 1959. This station can make 363 MW of electricity. This is enough to power about 360,000 homes. It has three machines that each make 110 MW.
Uskmouth B was one of the most efficient steam power stations in its time. This means it was very good at turning fuel into electricity. It is in an important spot for the National Grid. This is because there are not many power stations in south Wales.
- In the early 1960s, the station made over 1,500 GWh of electricity each year.
- Its output stayed high through the 1970s.
The station was first run by the Central Electricity Generating Board. In 1990, it was sold to National Power. It closed in 1995 but was bought by AES in 1998.
Modern Upgrades and Fuel Changes
AES spent £120 million to update the station. They added new equipment to help the environment. These changes were meant to make the station last another 25 years. The station's power capacity also increased to 393 MW. It reopened in 2001.
Later, the station was bought by Welsh Power in 2004. Then, SSE bought it in 2009. In 2013, one of its three power-making units was closed. This brought its power down to 260 MW.
Uskmouth B was one of the cleanest coal power stations in the United Kingdom. It had special equipment to clean its smoke. This included gear to remove sulfur (Flue Gas Desulphurisation) and reduce nitrogen oxides (low NOx burners).
The station also burns biomass along with coal. This helps it be more environmentally friendly. It does not use water from the River Usk for cooling. Instead, it uses treated sewage water.
Community Involvement and Future Plans
The power station employed about 90 people. It has won awards for keeping its workers safe. The owners have also helped local community projects. They gave land for the Newport Wetlands Reserve. They also sponsored local athletes and sports teams.
In 2014, the station was planned to close. However, in 2015, new plans were announced. The station will be changed to run completely on pellets made from biomass and waste plastic. This project aims to create many jobs. Because of these plans, the station has not used coal much since April 2017.
In 2017, Atlantis Energy joined the project to make this change happen by 2020. By 2019, it was reported that the plant would use 50% plastic pellets and 50% cardboard and paper pellets by 2021. It is expected to run for 20 more years.
Severn Power Station
A different power station, called Severn Power Station, was built on the site where Uskmouth A used to be. This station uses natural gas and is a Combined Cycle Power Plant. It can make 832 MW of electricity.
It has two gas turbines and two steam turbines. It started making electricity in November 2010. It was first owned by a Danish company called DONG Energy. Later, it was bought by MPF Holdings, which is now called Calon Energy.
Uskmouth in Pop Culture
The Uskmouth power station has been used as a filming location for the TV show Doctor Who.
- In 2006, it was used for two episodes, "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel". It was the setting for the Cybermen Factory.
- It was used again in 2011 for the Christmas special "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe". It was filmed as spaceship corridors.
- In 2014, it appeared in two more episodes: "Into the Dalek" and "Time Heist".
