Wakefield Power Station
Contributor: West Yorkshire Archives
Recorded: 14/01/2019
Wakefield Power Station 1955. The Wakefield power stations refers to a series of two coal-fired power stations situated on the River Calder at Agbrigg south east of Wakefield, serving much of West Yorkshire. The first station on the site, Wakefield A power station was constructed in the late-1880s. Wakefield B Power Station was a coal-powered station situated on the south bank of the River Calder. Mr Braithwaite and Jackman of Leeds were the executive architects and work began in June 1952, it was opened five years later by Councillor M Fitzpatrick JP Mayor of Wakefield. The main site covered 55 acres with a further 65 acres for ash disposal. The power station was operated as part of the North-Eastern Region of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB), generating electricity through its four 60,000kw turbo-alternators. The CEGB was sub-divided in 1990 into three smaller subsidiaries, one of which, National Power, became responsible for operation of the site. Following privatisation of National Power in 1991, Wakefield B Power Station was decommissioned and demolished in December 1991. WYAS Wakefield hold the records for Wakefield Power Station in two collections C796 and C793, records include photographs, laboratory records, station journals and staff committee minutes.
