Aw mannn, Uskmouth! I recently saw a photo of Uskmouth with all its guts ripped out, and it made me feel emotional things; nostalgic things. My attachment to Uskmouth comes from a single visit, somehow a whole two years ago now. Take it from me, time goes faster the older you get, so seize the day, hold your loved ones close, dance like nobody is watching and, most importantly, explore power stations with awesome people before they take out all the good bits. With this point in mind, this particular day was seized in the company of @tweek @Sheard and @Boba Low - the latter being, until this point, a figure of legend I had yet to meet in the flesh. I love this hobby for the way it allows you to manufacture high-stress situations that require you to solve physical and logistical problems with people you barely know - and via this process those people very quickly become people you consider good friends. [heart emoji]
Uskmouth B power station was built in 1959 and first closed in 1995. Initially operated by Central Electricity Generating Board it was taken over by National Power in 1990 when the utilities were privatised. It was then purchased by the American Owned AES. Following extensive refurbishment it was then fully operational between 2001 and 2014, employing 90 people. In the period between then and our visit it was occasionally re-commisioned as a coal plant, with plans for converting the plant to run on pellets of biomass and plastic. In April 2022, however, new plans were revealed to develop a 'battery energy storage system' at Uskmouth, superceding the conversion plans for the power station. This project is on track to be operational by 2024. In all honestly, I don't know what this actually means, but you can read more about it here and this is preumably the reason why they've stripped the turbine hall and perhaps, by now, the control rooms too: Major milestone for updated Uskmouth plans | Wales Business News
In 2006, 2011 and 2014 the plant was used to film episodes of Dr. Who, because dated power stations are basically the closest thing you can get to science fiction in the 'real' world.
Getting past the perimeter of the site was fun, albeit a little taxing due to natural barriers rather than any kind of security measures (I made a small online donation to the Wetlands Nature Reserve the next day to make reparations for the few snapped twigs). Once on site, getting inside involved the usual combination of hiding in shadows, dashing from one building to another with the slight panic you get when you catch sight of something moving in your periperal vision. But all good, and inside was at least as impressive as expected, possibly even more so.
Photos are all 35mm film. While developing the film, in my excitement I briefly got the colour and b&w developing chemicals mixed up, completely ruining half of the negatives and partially bleaching the surviving photos - this report is made of the ones I managed to salvage. For a less 'GCSE art project' rendering of this place, please see reports by literally anyone other than me. ;-)
First stop was obviously the turbine hall. Lights were on here and in the doorways beyond, giving the impression that anyone could walk in on you at any point. Nobody did.
There were three control rooms, all very similar, all with computers still working and lights still on, again giving the impression of impending discovery.
We didn't linger much longer, in and out with no bother, like ghosts... always the best way.
done
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