Inter-war plant

Following the First World War further new plant was installed to meet growing demand for electricity. By 1923 the generating plant comprised:^[5]

• Coal-fired boilers generating up to 190,000 lb/h (23.9 kg/s) of steam, these supplied steam to:
• Generators
  • 1 × 1,500 kW steam turbo-alternator
  • 2 × 2,000 kW steam turbo-alternators
  • 1 × 3,000 kW steam turbo-alternator
  • 1 × 10,000 kW steam turbo-alternator

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 18,500 kW of alternating current.^[5]

The plant installed in 1919 included the UK's first large pulverised fuel fired boilers, these were provided on three of the units used a bin feed system. Hydraulic coal delivery was also introduced at Hammersmith.^[6]

A choice of electricity supplies were available to consumers:

• 2-phase, 50 Hz AC at 110 and 220 Volts
• 3-phase, 50 Hz AC at 110 and 220 Volts.

New plant 1937

In 1937 the generating capacity of the station was 28,500 kW, the maximum load was 23,850 kW, and the connections on the system were 69.822 MW.

By 1954 the plant comprised:^[7]

• Boilers:
  • 1 × 17,000 lb/h (2.1 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stoker,
  • 2 × 20,000 lb/h (2.5 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stokers,
  • 1 × 37,000 lb/h (4.7 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stoker,
  • 3 × 45,000 lb/h (5.7 kg/s) Stirling boilers with chain grate stokers,

The total evaporative capacity was 229,000 lb/h (28.8 kg/s), steam conditions were 200 psi and 620–650 °F (13.8 bar, 327–343 °C), and supplied steam to:

• Turbo-alternators:
  • 2 × Parsons 10 MW turbo-alternators, 3000 rpm, generating at 6.6 kV

Condenser cooling water was taken from the River Thames.^[7]

Operating data 1921–23

The operating data for the period 1921–23 is shown in the table:^[5]

Under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16-17 Geo. 5 c. 51)^[8] the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926.^[6] The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively. The CEB also constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region. Hammersmith power station was electrically connected to Fulham power station via twin 66 kV underground cables and to Barnes power station via triple 6.6 kV underground lines.^[9]

Operating data 1937 and 1946

Hammersmith power station operating data, 1937 and 1946 is as follows.^[10][11]

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 Hammersmith electricity undertaking was abolished, ownership of Hammersmith power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB).^[6] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Hammersmith electricity undertaking were transferred to the London Electricity Board (LEB).

Operating data 1954–65

Operating data for the period 1954–65 is shown in the table:^[7][13][14]

The data demonstrates the less intensive use of the power station during its last decade of operating life.

The electricity supplied, in MWh, by Hammersmith power station over its operating life was:

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.