Yorkshire Electric Power Company

In the late 1890s a group of large and influential manufacturing firms in West Yorkshire wished to promote an electric power company to provide a cheap and abundant supply of electricity. Sixty-three shareholders formed the Yorkshire Electric Power Syndicate Limited. In association with the promoters of the South Yorkshire Electric Power Bill they sought to obtain a local act of Parliament to give them the necessary legal powers. The Yorkshire Electric Power Company was incorporated on 26 July 1901 under the provisions of the act. Its function was to construct electricity generating stations and power lines to provide a supply of electricity throughout (initially) an area of 1,800 square miles (4662 km2) in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Its initial capital was £2,000,000 comprising 200,000 shares of £10. To allow it to supply electricity for any purpose, including lighting alone, the company established a subsidiary organisation: Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire Limited in 1905. == Management ==

The inaugural Board of Directors included several industrialists associated with the iron and steel, electrical, and transport industries in Yorkshire. The Board comprised: • Arthur Greenhow Lupton (Chairman) • Robert Armitage • Arthur Currer Briggs • Hardman Arthur Earle (Managing Director) • Henry Cawood Embleton • William Paul James Fawcus • Robert Hudson • Sir Richard Mottram • Thomas Octavius Callender • Edgar Alfred Carolan The Company Secretary was James Milnes and the Company’s registered office was at 4 South Parade Leeds. == Power stations ==

The 1901 act prescribed four power stations to be built by the company, these were at Mirfield, Methley, Wath and Bingley. the Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926. The CEB identified high efficiency ‘selected’ power stations that would supply electricity most effectively; Thornhill and Barugh were designated as selected stations. Thornhill power station Instead of Mirfield a site at Thornhill 2 miles (3 km) to the east was chosen. Thornhill power station was commissioned as a 4.5 MW station in 1902. It was extended in 1915, 1925 and 1932–37 when it had a capacity of 75 MW. The station was further extended by the British Electricity Authority in 1950–54 and operated until 1982. , the site was occupied by a gas turbine power plant. Ferrybridge power station Ferrybridge power station, later known as Ferrybridge A, was constructed in 1926–27. It was closed in 1976. Following nationalisation Ferrybridge B (1957–92) and Ferrybridge C (1966–2016) were subsequently constructed. The site is now (2020) occupied by Ferrybridge Multifuel power station. Mexborough power station The company had planned to build Mexborough power station from 1939 but this was delayed by the war and construction started in 1943. It was commissioned in 1945 and had a capacity of 120 MW. It closed in 1981. Barugh power station Barugh power station near Barnsley () was commissioned in 1913. It was fuelled by gas from the coke ovens of Old Silkstone colliery. This was used to raise steam at a rate of 150,000 lb/h (18.9 kg/s) which was used to drive two 2.0 MW and two 5.0 MW steam turbines coupled to generators giving a total output of 14 MW AC. Condensing water was circulated through cooling ponds adjacent to the station. Operating data for the station just prior to nationalisation is given in the table. The steam set was shut down in 1958. Following nationalisation Diesel engines were installed by the British Electricity Authority in December 1954. There were two 2.0 MW Mirlees, Bickerton and Day engines, the alternators operated at 11 kV. Operating data for the station is shown in the table. Barugh power station was decommissioned in 1963. The electricity substation at Barugh is still (2020) operational and has connections for 132 kV and 66 kV lines. == Electricity distribution ==

In 1927 Yorkshire Electric Power Company awarded a contract to Transmission Lines and Cables Construction Company of Keighley to build the Ferrybridge-Beal-Snaith 33 kV overhead line. The masts and towers were a combination of 'H' girder steel masts, lattice steel masts, lattice steel angle masts and lattice steel angle towers. They were designed and supplied by W. T. Henley (Henley Overhead Transmission). The Central Electricity Board (CEB) constructed the national grid (1927–33) to connect power stations within a region, there is a 132 kV substation at Thornhill, and one at Barugh. The construction of the national grid in the mid-east England area was completed in 1932. The system comprised 16 power stations (including new stations at Kirkstall and Ferrybridge) interconnected by 322 miles (518 km) of 132 kV transmission lines. A secondary system was established in South Lincolnshire and Rutland to provide electricity to rural areas, this used 202 miles (325 km) of 33 kV lines. In 1932 the Yorkshire Electric Power Company registered the North Lincolnshire and Howdenshire Electricity Company as a subsidiary to supply electricity in an area adjacent to its existing supply area. In 1933 the company was responsible for 2,100 miles (3380 km) of mains, 775 substations and 214 pole transformers. == Operations ==

Although the company’s remit was to supply electricity over a wide area of West Yorkshire, its presence was not welcome by some municipalities. Some were unenthusiastic about providing a supply to the power company and councillors objected to using ratepayer’s money to supply electricity outside their municipal boundaries. Others objected to power companies supplying outside a local authority area which might prevent future expansion beyond current municipal boundaries. In Yorkshire, Leeds and other large municipalities opposed initiatives by the Yorkshire Electric Power Company to supply districts outside their boundaries. Power companies became the management and financial centres for the development of the commercial sector. By 1932 the Yorkshire Electric Power Company held 51 distribution franchises over a much wider area than originally established. Operational data for the four power stations of the Yorkshire Electric Power Company in 1946 are given in the table. The four power stations continued to operate following nationalisation, when they were owned and operated by the British Electricity Authority. == Financial ==

The profits of the company from 1912 to 1947 are shown in the table. == Nationalisation ==

The British electricity supply industry was nationalised in 1948, as part of the post-war Labour government’s plans to bring the UK's industrial infrastructure within state control. Nationalisation was enacted under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. 54). The Yorkshire Electric Power Company was abolished on 31 March 1948. Ownership of Thornhill, Barugh, Ferrybridge and Mexborough power stations was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority (1954–57) and the Central Electricity Generating Board (from 1958). At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the Yorkshire Electric Power Company were transferred to the Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB). == See also ==