Portsmouth's giant power station, picture special | Nostalgia

On Sunday, March 20, 1977, the Central Electricity Generating Board disconnected Portsmouth's contribution to the National Grid, ending 83 years of electricity generation.

It was at a meeting of the town council in November 1889 that the first steps towards generating electricity were taken with the appointment of a lighting committee.

One chimney. No! Not being demolished. A new extension to Portsmouth power station, Old Portsmouth, under construction in 1949. Picture: Simmons Aerofilms/Mike Nolan Collectionplaceholder image
One chimney. No! Not being demolished. A new extension to Portsmouth power station, Old Portsmouth, under construction in 1949. Picture: Simmons Aerofilms/Mike Nolan Collection

So Portsmouth became the first municipal corporation to establish its own turbo-alternator generating system.

To see more pictures of the building which dominated the city’s skyline long before The Spinnaker Tower, click here.

The  power station in Gunwharf Road, 1978. The News PP1271placeholder image
The power station in Gunwharf Road, 1978. The News PP1271

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