Inverkip Power Station

Inverkip power station was an oil-fired power station in Inverclyde, on the west coast of Scotland. It was closer to Wemyss Bay than Inverkip, and dominated the local area with its 778ft chimney, the third tallest chimney in the UK and Scotland's tallest free-standing structure. In common with other power stations in Scotland it lacked cooling towers; instead, sea water was used as a coolant. The station consisted of three generating units with a combined total rating of 2028 megawatts (MW). HistoryConstruction began in 1970 for the then South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB). It was to be Scotland's first oil-fired power station. The soaring price of oil as a result of the 1973 oil crisis meant that by the time construction was completed generation was uneconomical. It was never utilised commercially, with 1200 MW kept in reserve and the remaining capacity being used to satisfy peak demand. It was only used at peak capacity during the miners' strike of 1984-85, when low coal supplies prompted operation. Generation ceased in January 1988 and although the plant was retained as a strategic reserve, it was never used as such. The plant was finally mothballed in the late 1990s, but was kept fully operational until 2006 when it was decommissioned.

Inverkip power station was an oil-fired power station in Inverclyde, on the west coast of Scotland. It was closer to Wemyss Bay than Inverkip, and dominated the local area with its 778ft chimney, the third tallest chimney in the UK and Scotland's tallest free-standing structure. In common with other power stations in Scotland it lacked cooling towers; instead, sea water was used as a coolant. The station consisted of three generating units with a combined total rating of 2028 megawatts (MW). HistoryConstruction began in 1970 for the then South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB). It was to be Scotland's first oil-fired power station. The soaring price of oil as a result of the 1973 oil crisis meant that by the time construction was completed generation was uneconomical. It was never utilised commercially, with 1200 MW kept in reserve and the remaining capacity being used to satisfy peak demand. It was only used at peak capacity during the miners' strike of 1984-85, when low coal supplies prompted operation. Generation ceased in January 1988 and although the plant was retained as a strategic reserve, it was never used as such. The plant was finally mothballed in the late 1990s, but was kept fully operational until 2006 when it was decommissioned.