Abstract
Two 50-megawatt turbo-alternators unitized with reheater boilers were commissioned at Dunston “B” generating station towards the end of the year 1950, and ranked as the most efficient generating plant owned by the British Electricity Authority during the year 1951.
In Part I of the paper are shown the changes in design compared with the original plant which was commissioned seventeen years previously.
In Part II plant staffing and staff training are discussed and details of operating experience are given, including methods adopted for overcoming the initial plant troubles and the procedure eventually evolved for starting-up and shutting-down, and, in particular, the method adopted to permit full load to be achieved in 
hours from starting-up.
Performance and “outage” figures for 1951 are discussed and analysed and results of tests are tabulated, including load throw-off tests and monthly performance tests for the two Units 5 and 6.
It is concluded that unitized generating plant can be controlled so closely as to achieve test conditions and performance in commercial operation, but that attention needs to be drawn to detailed improvements in design and workmanship. In particular, the need is stressed for more care in making joints and tightening bolts for high-pressure work.
Future economies and improvements proposed as a result of experience are mentioned.
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