Documenting the decline of coal and oil fired electricity generation in the UK
Documenting the decline of coal and oil fired electricity generation in the UK

Eggborough Power Station, North Yorkshire

Eggborough Power Station, North Yorkshire

Eggborough Power Station was a 2 gigawatt coal-fired generating plant in North Yorkshire, England. The station comprised four 500 megawatt units, with generating sets supplied by AEI. Construction began in 1962 and the first unit started generating electricity in 1967. Construction was completed by September 1970.

Station under construction, 1965. Aerial view from the south-west
Station under construction, 1965. Aerial view from the south-west

The station was commissioned and initially operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and became the property of National Power upon privatisation in 1990. British Energy bought the power station in 2000. British energy was purchased by EDF in 2009, however Eggborough’s lenders had the option to purchase the station the following April. On 1 April 2010, EDF transferred Eggborough to the plant’s bondholders. In January 2015 the sale of the power station to Czech Republic-based Energetický a průmyslový holding was finalised.

Eggborouhg Power Station (image from the official opening booklet, 1970)
Eggborouhg Power Station (image from the official opening booklet, 1970)

The low-pressure (LP) turbines of Units 1, 3 and 4 were replaced between 1993-1995 and the high-pressure (HP) turbines of Units 3 and 4 were replaced between 2005-2007. These upgrades increased the plants thermal efficiency and output.

The 650 feet high chimney
The 650 feet high chimney

The power station had one chimney which was 198.5m tall, was 21.6m wide at the base and tapered to 18.6m at the top. The chimney contained four 6.1m diameter flue ducts. There were 8 natural draught cooling towers, each 114m tall and 86.5m wide at the base.

In 1998 electrostatic precipitators were fitted to all units, and Flue Gas De-sulphurisation (FGD) was added to units 3 and 4 in 2005. Between 2005-2007 a boiler burner and combustion air system BOFA (Boosted Over Fire Air) commenced on Units 1, 3 and 4 to reduce Nitrogen Oxide emissions.

Eggborough and Ferrybridge power stations pumped ash from their boilers to a disposal site to the south of both stations, called Gale Common Ash Disposal Site. The site is owned by Eggborough Power, and was landscaped by Brenda Colvin into 160m hills with contours.

Eggborough faced the threat of closure for a few years, and in 2018 it was announced it would close by September that year. The power station stopped generating on 23 March 2018.

Buildings and Plant Detail

Eggborough Power Station TurbinesTurbine Hall

Eggborough had 4 x 500MW turbine-generator sets manufactured by AEI

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Eggborough Power Station Boilers and MillsBoiler House

The four boilers at Eggborough were manufactured by Foster Wheeler / John Brown.

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Eggborough Power Station Control RoomControl Room

The control room at Eggborough remained largely original

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Eggborough Power Station WorkshopsWorkshops

The well-equipped workshops were attached to the north-end of the station.

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Eggborough Power Station Coal Handling PlantCoal Handling Plant

The coal plant could store 1.75 million tons of coal and had a bucket-wheel excavator.

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Eggborough Image Gallery

Visit the plant detail pages above to view more images from each area of the power plant

Sunrise over Eggborough Power Station viewed from the west
Sunrise over Eggborough Power Station viewed from the west


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