East Yelland power station makes its bow!

The new electricity power station at East Yelland was officially opened by Lord Fortescue, the Lord Lieutenant of the County on 21st April.

When completed the station will burn 365,000 tons of coal a year which comes from South Wales on regular journeys. The ships are rapidly unloaded by mechanical conveyers, the river water is drawn in to cool the station and the coal descends from huge hoppers into the furnaces. From the steam created in the boilers, the large turbines and generators provide an enormous supply of current to meet the needs of North Devon and pour into the grid network of general supply.

From this control room flows the current that at full load will supply all the needs for industrial and domestic power and lighting for North Devon and a much larger area beyond.

Gazette article 22 April 1955