Uskmouth power stations facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uskmouth power stations
Uskmouth B Power Station Viewed from the south east, September 2007
Country	Wales, United Kingdom
Location	Newport
Coordinates	51°32′57″N 2°58′14″W / 51.549071°N 2.970539°W / 51.549071; -2.970539
Status	A station: Demolished B station: Decommissioned
Construction began	A station: 1948 B station: 1957
Commission date	A station: 1952 B station: 1959
Decommission date	A station: 1981 B station: by 2024
Operator(s)	British Electricity Authority (1952–1955) Central Electricity Authority (1955–1958) Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–1990) National Power (1990–1998) AES (1998–2003) Welsh Power (2004–2009) Scottish and Southern Energy (2009–2015) SIMEC Group (2015–present)

The Uskmouth power stations are two power stations that used to burn coal to make electricity. They are located near the mouth of the River Usk in Newport, Wales.

The first station, called Uskmouth A power station, was built in the 1940s. It was taken down in 2002. The second station, Uskmouth B power station, was built in the 1950s. It has been stopped from working and put into storage.

Uskmouth A: The First Power Station

Uskmouth A power station was approved in 1947, and construction began in April 1948. It started making electricity in December 1952. The station had four large machines called turbo-alternators, each able to produce 60 megawatts (MW) of power. These machines used steam from 12 Babcock and Wilcox boilers.

How Much Power Uskmouth A Made

Here's how much electricity Uskmouth A produced over the years:

An Accident at Uskmouth A

In January 1956, one of the generators had a serious problem. It spun too fast and exploded. Sadly, two workers died and nine were hurt. Parts of the machine flew through the building walls. Even with this accident, the other four generators kept working without stopping. This event showed the dangers of working with powerful machinery.

Closing and Demolishing Uskmouth A

Uskmouth A power station stopped operating on October 26, 1981. It had a power capacity of 228 megawatts when it closed. The entire station was taken down in 2002.

Uskmouth B: The Second Power Station

Uskmouth B power station was approved in May 1957 and started working in 1959. It could produce 363 MW of electricity. This was enough power for about 360,000 homes, or the whole area around Newport. It had three generators, each making 110 MW.

How Efficient Uskmouth B Was

Uskmouth B was known for being very efficient. This means it was good at turning fuel into electricity without wasting much energy. In the mid-1960s, it was one of the top power stations in the UK for its efficiency.

Electricity Output of Uskmouth B

Here is how much electricity Uskmouth B supplied each year:

Changes and Upgrades for Uskmouth B

The station was officially opened in June 1963 and cost £19.5 million to build. It was first run by a government board. In 1990, it became part of a private company called National Power. The station closed in 1995.

However, in 1998, a company called AES bought it. They spent £120 million to update it and add new equipment to protect the environment. This upgrade was meant to make the station last another 25 years. Its power capacity also increased to 393 MW. The station reopened in 2001.

After some changes in ownership, Welsh Power bought the station in 2004 and got it running fully again. Then, SSE bought it in 2009. In 2013, one of its three power blocks closed, reducing its capacity to 260 MW.

View of Severn (left) and Uskmouth (right) power stations from Newport Wetlands Reserve

Uskmouth B and the Environment

Uskmouth B was one of the cleanest coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom. It had special equipment to remove harmful gases from its smoke. It also burned biomass (like wood pellets) along with coal. This helped reduce its carbon emissions. The station was also unique because it used treated sewage water for cooling instead of taking water from the River Usk.

Community Involvement

The power station's owners cared about the local community. They gave land to the Newport Wetlands Reserve, which is a home for many birds and wildlife. They also sponsored local athletes, like swimmer David Davies, and the Newport Gwent Dragons rugby team.

Plans for a New Future and Decommissioning

In 2015, there were plans to change Uskmouth B to run entirely on pellets made from biomass and waste plastic. This project aimed to help the area and create new jobs. Because of these plans, the station stopped burning coal regularly, with its last coal use in April 2017.

A company called Simec Atlantis Energy joined the project in 2017. The idea was for the plant to run on a mix of plastic, cardboard, and paper pellets. However, in April 2022, the company stopped the project. This was due to opposition from environmental groups and the Welsh Government's review of the plans.

In December 2023, permission was given to take down the station's two cooling towers. This demolition was completed by May 2024. In January 2024, Simec received permission to build a battery energy storage system where the cooling towers once stood. It was also confirmed that Uskmouth B power station had officially stopped working. The new battery system is expected to store 250 MW of power for 5 hours.

Severn Power Station: A Neighboring Plant

A different power station, called Severn Power Station, was built on the same site where Uskmouth A used to be. This station uses natural gas to make electricity. It has a capacity of 832 MW. It started operating in November 2010.

Severn Power Station was first owned by a Danish company. In 2013, it was bought by MPF Holdings. In August 2020, the station was put into a "dormant state," meaning it stopped operating for a while.

Uskmouth Power Station in Movies

The Uskmouth power station has been used as a filming location for the popular TV show Doctor Who several times.

• In 2006, it was the setting for the "Cybermen Factory" in two episodes, "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel".
• In 2011, it was used again for spaceship corridors in the Christmas special "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe".
• In 2014, it appeared in two more episodes, "Into the Dalek" and "Time Heist".