CHAPTER 1 - Power station siting and site layout

Abstract

The construction of a new major power station takes typically about five to six years from the decision to build the station to the commissioning of the first unit. Therefore, the annual plans of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) include the provision for specific new generating stations that are planned for commissioning in the period of seven to nine years ahead of need—referred to as the planning years. The CEGB considers whether there is a need for a new capacity to maintain an adequate security of supply, to give greater economy, or to improve the security of fuel supply by allowing the types and sources of fuel or primary energy to be diversified. The provision of new capacity to meet the forecast demand is not the only reason that might justify the construction of a new generating plant. New construction might also be justified on economic grounds and might allow the retirement of some existing capacity. This chapter presents possible feature developments that can be used in a variety of planning studies in context of CEGB and discusses the site requirements for a power station. The chapter further illustrates a typical timescale for power station planning and a typical site investigation program for a nuclear power station.