Aire valley power stations
Aire valley power station may refer to one or all of three power stations on the River Aire in Yorkshire, England:[1]
- Ferrybridge C power station (1966–2016)
- Eggborough power station (1967–2018)
- Drax power station (1974–present)
By the 1990s, the three power stations generated 20% of Britain's electricity,[1] and contributed 56% of the Yorkshire and Humber region's greenhouse gas emissions, primarily CO2 (~2010).[2] In 2006 the combined generating capacity was approximately 8 GW (Ferrybridge C, 2 GW; Eggborough, 2 GW, Drax 4 GW).[3]
The power stations were built during the post-Beeching era,[3] close to the Selby Coalfield which supplied them via Gascoigne Wood until the field's closure at the beginning of the 21st century.[4][5] Thereafter, coal was imported to fuel the power stations, much of it through the Humber ports (primarily Immingham, also Port of Hull) and other east coast ports (Redcar, Tyne, Blyth). Further coal was supplied from open cast coal mines in Ayrshire, Scotland, as well as being imported via Scotland (Hunterston Terminal).[6]
Ferrybridge and Eggborough power stations were scheduled to close in March 2016.[7] Ferrybridge closed according to schedule on 31 March 2016,[8] while Eggborough continued to operate for almost two more years[9] before being decommissioned in February 2018.[10] By 2022, Ferrybridge and Eggborough were fully demolished.
Demolition
[edit]In July 2019, one of the eight cooling towers was demolished with explosives as a test at Ferrybridge,[11] then in October 2019, four of the seven remaining cooling towers were demolished.[12] On 1 August 2021, four of the eight cooling towers at Eggborough were demolished.[13] Later on 22 August, the two chimney stacks, boiler house and bunker bay were demolished at Ferrybridge.[14] On 10 October 2021, the final four cooling towers at Eggborough were demolished.[15] On 6 March 2022, the coal bunker building at Eggborough known as 'Bunker Bay' was demolished.[16] On the evening of 17 March 2022, the three remaining cooling towers at Ferrybridge were demolished.[17] On 1 June 2022, a section of the boiler house at Eggborough known as 'DA Bay' was demolished.[18][19] On 24 July 2022, the chimney and boiler house were demolished at Eggborough.[20]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Pickering, Kevin T.; Owen, Lewis A. (1997). An introduction to global environmental issues (2 ed.). Routledge. p. 162. ISBN 0-415-14098-6.
- ^ House of Commons North West Regional Committee. The Stationery Office. 2010. Fig.1 "Large Point Sources of Carbon Emissions in the Region by size and sector, 2006", Ev.2; "Environment Agency", Ev. 9. ISBN 978-0-215-55352-2.
- ^ a b Haywood, Russ (2009). Railways, urban development and town planning in Britain: 1948–2008. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp.128–129; Appendix 10, "Rail freight services and power stations: 1970–2005", p.359. ISBN 978-0-7546-7392-7.
- ^ "2.6 Underground mining". Energy resources: Coal (Report). The Open University. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Electricity Supplies". Hansard: House of Commons. 46. cc770-1. 25 July 1983.
How will Ferrybridge, Eggborough, Drax and other power stations be supplied with coal if Selby cannot supply them?
- ^ "Freight: Route Utilisation Strategy" (PDF). Network Rail. March 2007. pp.3; 5; 37; 90; 101; 125, "Figure B1: Key import coal routes and coal loading points". Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Power station begins closure consultation". BBC. September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- ^ "Ferrybridge C coal-fired power station closes after 50 years". BBC News. BBC. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Reprieve for threatened Eggborough Power Station". BBC News. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Eggborough power station to close with loss of 170 jobs". BBC News. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ "Tower demolished at Ferrybridge Power Station". BBC News. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Ferrybridge Power Station: Live updates as four more cooling towers are demolished". Wakefield Express. 13 October 2019. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019.
- ^ Hammond, Grace. "Onlookers gather to watch as huge cooling towers are demolished at landmark Yorkshire power station". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Withers, Laura (22 August 2021). "Live Ferrybridge Power Station demolition as M62 and surrounding roads closed". Leeds Live. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Hutchinson, Andrew (10 October 2021). "Eggborough power station demolition: Remaining cooling towers come crashing down". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ Newton, Grace (8 March 2022). "Watch moment 12,000-ton coal bunker at Eggborough power station is demolished with explosives". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ "Final Ferrybridge power station cooling towers demolished". BBC News. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Pritchard, Jonathan (2 June 2022). "Eggborough power station demolition: Watch latest demolition carried out at iconic site". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Regeneration continues at Eggborough Power Station site". Selby Times. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Watch as final part of Eggborough power station is demolished with explosives | ITV News". ITV News. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
External links
[edit]
- "Drax B opens to complete Britain's 'sulphur valley'". New Scientist. 110 (1509). Reed Business Information: 22. 22 May 1986. ISSN 0262-4079.
- "Case Study 2 How Russian coal is delivered to a power station in the Aire Valley : A COAL END-TO-END FREIGHT JOURNEY" (PDF). The logistics perspective: End-to-end journey case studies. Department of Transport.