Construction and operation, (1959–1994)

Construction of the station began in 1959;^[3] it was built as a prototype for all the large modern power stations in the UK. It was commissioned between 1963 and 1965.^[4] Thorpe Marsh was one of the CEGB's twenty steam power stations with the highest thermal efficiency; in 1963–4 the thermal efficiency was 31.50 per cent, 32.76 per cent in 1964–5, and 33.09 per cent in 1965–6.^[5]

There were 2 × 28 MW auxiliary gas turbines on the site, these had been commissioned in December 1966.^[6]

The plant was officially opened in 1967.^[7]

The station contained two 550 MW generating units with cross compound turbines, supplied from a single boiler. Steam was supplied at 16,000 kPa (2,300 psi) at 566 °C (1,050 °F).^[8]

The annual electricity output of Thorpe Marsh was:^[5]

On 7 January 1973, four workmen died. A coroner's report gave a verdict of accidental death; subsequently the Factory Inspectorate began legal proceedings against the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) for breaches in safety provisions.^[9]

After the privatisation of the CEGB in 1990, the station was operated by National Power. The station subsequently closed in 1994.^[4][10]

Post closure (1994–)

The 45 ha (110 acres) site was acquired by Able UK in 1995.^[11]

During the 2007 United Kingdom floods, the 400 kV substation at the site was temporarily shut down on 27 June, whilst the 275 kV substation was not affected; operational service was fully restored by early 28 June.^[12]

In October 2011, the Department of Energy and Climate Change approved the construction of a 1,500 MW combined cycle gas turbine power station at Thorpe Marsh by Thorpe Marsh Power Limited (parent Acorn Power Developments, see Acorn Energy) with an estimated cost of £984 million.^[13][14][15] Thorpe Marsh Power Limited proposed an initial capacity of 960 MW.^[15] The proposed development would also require the construction of an 18 km (11 mi) gas pipeline from Camblesforth;^[16] Thorpe Marsh Power Limited is expected to submit an application for the gas pipeline in late 2014.^[16]

Able UK demolished the original power station's cooling towers in 2012.^[17]

In 2022 plans were unveiled to build a 1.4 GW Battery Energy Storage System on the site, named the "Thorpe Marsh Energy Park".^[18] Local news sources have highlighted the project's potential in repurposing the old power station's infrastructure.^[19]