ELECTRICAL BRITAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 106, 8 May 1933, Page 9

ELECTRICAL BRITAIN

GREAT UNDERTAKING

YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT

The generation of electricity, by public supply systems showed an increase of-over 7 per cent, iix 1932 compared with 1931. Great Britain was brought for the first time into third place in the world production of electricity. The Central Electricity Board, in its report, stated that despite world depression domestic and commercial electrification continued to make substantial progress (says the London "Daily Telegraph"). The demand for electricity in the severely depressed areas, particularly on the North-East Coast and in Scotland, remained steady, and tended even to show an upward trend as compared ■frith 1931. The Midlands and Southern England registered a very considerable increase. The national grid -for the, supply of electricity through the length: and breadth of Britain is now fast reaching completion. Out of the 273 transforming and switching stations, 244 have been finished. "The grid," says the/report, "has provided a volume of experience in the design, construction, and operation of large central power schemes poasibly unsurpassed in the world. The result is that the manufacturing industry can deal with the most difficult and the most ambitious schemes with every prospect of success. ' "The- fact that the grid itself .is operating with almost complete reliability over 2000 miles already in commission shows that.-.-as a technical achievement the national power schem:} is one of the outstanding efforts, of Great Britain in this century. It is a good example of what can be effected by cooperation between all sections of the industry interested in the design and construction of the grid." , , , MILES OF TOWEBS. The grid, it is explained, comprises approximately , 3000 miles of primary transmission lines," operated at 132,000 volts, linking up, selected stations with one another and ■with the systems of other authorised undertakers in the areas and inter-connecting the areas themselves. In -addition, there are' approximately 1000 miles of. secondary lines operated at 66,000 or lower voltages. : By the end of the year all the wayleaves necessary for the : erection both of the primary and* of the secondary lines had been obtained, except for a few miles mainly in the New> Forest area. Since "this work began the board has had to negotiate with more than 21,000 owners and occupiers fit land, and it "is glad to record, that it has been necessary to geek compulsory way-leaves in less than-600 cases." Construction of the lines advanced almost as iapidly'>as in 1931, more than 1350 miles of towers having been erected in the course of the year. Of the entire transmission system of approximately 4000 miles, inclusive of cables, only 212.5 miles of towers and 3.5 miles of cables had still to be completed. , "The cost of constructing the grid, says the report, "is now ascertainable within narrow limits, although some small degree of estimation is still necessary in respect of works not yet completed and works completed but not yet certified. The cost will amount to about £26,700,000." The cost comes within 2} per cent, in excess of the Commissioners estimates, despite various departures from plans.. SOME FIGURES. ■ ''-AS' indications •> of the large scale of the grid, the following details • are given:— ■ . .'« • ■■■ .' ■', ! There are over 26,000 transmission towers and 273 , transforming and switching stations, with a total tr,aas-1 forming capacit(y:of 11,000,000 horsepower. . , . . , The 2ff,000 overhead towers, m addition to the steel wire in the conductors and the steel work in .the switching and transforming stations— including equipment in,them —give a total of more than 150,000 tons of highgrade steel—one of the most highly finished products of the iron and steel industry. -( ' , ■ There are about 12,000 tons of aluminium—equal to about one-third of an entire year's output of the aluminium industry. ... Thero are about half a million tons of cement and 200,000 insulators, the majority1 of them supplied from the potteries. . I .The tonnage.of coal represented by steel, cement, insulators,' and the electrical engineering and cable-making industries is in excess of 800,000 tons. The total number of workers employed directly or indirectly on the construction of the grid and on. standardisation 'of frequency, as far' as it has progressed, is between 100,000 and'l2o,ooo. . > j During the year tho Commissioners issued consents to the borrowing by the board of £4,050,400 for tho purposes of the grid. For the purpose of standardisation of frequency they consented during the year to the board borrowing £ 5,174,600, making the total amoun-t sanctioned for standardisation at the end nf the year £12.674,600. _