Wolverhampton Power Station
Wolverhampton power station, also known as Commercial Road power station, was a coal-fired electricity plant in Wolverhampton, England. It supplied electricity to the town and surrounding area from 1895 to 1976.
The station was built by Wolverhampton Corporation and expanded several times to meet growing demand, including additions in 1902–1908, 1925, and 1942. It first produced electricity on 30 January 1895 and grew from a small setup to a larger facility, adding plant to support the local tram network and other needs. The station was eventually decommissioned in 1976.
Ownership changed several times:
- Wolverhampton Corporation (1894–1928)
- West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority (1928–1948)
- British Electricity Authority (1948–1955)
- Central Electricity Authority (1955–1957)
- Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–1976)
Distribution and sales responsibilities were transferred to the Midlands Electricity Board after nationalisation in 1948.
Location and operation details:
- Located on Commercial Road, near the Wolverhampton Level canal, to receive coal by barge.
- Fuel: coal
- Technology: steam turbines
- One 30 MW unit from 1942, built with Brush-Ljungström technology
- Main chimneys: brick 115 ft (35 m) and steel 175 ft (53 m)
- Cooling: one concrete cooling tower using circulating water
Output and capacity:
- At its peak in the mid-20th century, the station’s operations included several expansions, and the annual net output in 1946 was 125.271 GWh.
Decommissioning and afterlife:
- Decommissioned on 25 October 1976. The main buildings have since been adapted for commercial use.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:06 (CET).