Colenso Power Station
Colenso Power Station | |
---|---|
Country | South Africa |
Coordinates | 28°43′51″S 29°49′36″E / 28.73083°S 29.82667°E |
Status | Decommissioned |
Commission date | 1926 |
Decommission date | 1984 |
Thermal power station | |
Primary fuel | Coal |
Power generation | |
Units operational | 5 |
Megawatt | |
] |
External images | |
---|---|
Photo of the power station as seen from across the Tugela river at Eskom Heritage | |
Photo of the Colenso turbines and boilers at Eskom heritage |
Colenso Power Station was a South African coal-fired power station, located in
History
Steep gradients on the Natal section of South African Railways, particularly in the Natal Midlands meant that electrification could be beneficial, particularly if regenerative braking was employed.[2] In 1921 the estimated cost of the electrification project, inclusive of the Power Station was £2,033,000.[3]
Building started in 1921 and the power station was opened in 1926 with a capacity of 60 MW. Initially it only provided power for the 274 km section of the Glencoe – Pietermaritzburg part of the Durban-Johannesburg railway – the area that had the greatest gradients, and also the area that was closest to the coalfields of the Glencoe region. Power generated at Colenso was distributed at 88,000 volts to twelve substations where it was converted to 6,600 volts and then to 3,000 volts DC current by synchronous motor generators for use by the railways.[4][5]
The power station was sold to the Electricity Supply Commission (
Present day
The power station's cooling towers remain standing to this day. In recent years a concerted effort has been in process to re-establish a new, larger, independent base load power station near the original site of the old Colenso power station. With a substantial coal resource discovered near the town and with the gradual liberalising of the South African electric power generation industry, a modern coal technology power generation unit is planned.[9]
See also
References
- ^ "South African Railways Power Plant". Electric Railway Journal. 60 (24): 914. 9 December 1922. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ "SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTRIFICATION". Mike's Railway History. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- ^ "Great Britain and the Colonies". Electric Railway Journal. 57 (1): 33. 1 January 1921. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ Brazil, H (1928). "The South African Railways Electrification". Electrical Substations. Edward Arnold & Co. p. 110. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
- ^ Brazil, H (1928). "IX - Traction Substations". Electrical Substations. Edward Arnold and Co. p. 110. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ a b c "Natal Central Undertaking" (PDF). Eskom Heritage. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
- ^ "Ingagane Power Station". Eskom Heritage. Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- ^ Steyn, Grové (15 March 2006). "Investment and Uncertainty: Historical experience with power sector investment in South Africa and its implications for current challenges" (PDF). Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.
- ^ Fumba, Oscar (June 2010). "Colenso Regeneration Plan and Urban Design Framework - Draft Report". Emnambithi Ladysmith Local Municipality. 6.4 Colenso Power Station.
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