Gravesend power station was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply the local demand for electricity for lighting. It was built to the west of the municipal gas works, south east of the basin on the Thames and Medway canal. The power station operated until 1970 the buildings were reused but were demolished in 1995. The building Gravesend power station comprised a long engine room with a short, taller boiler house to the north, and an office block to the east; the boiler house had three tall chimneys. The engine room walls were of stock brick with red brick dressings. The interior of the engine room was lit by 13 high level circular windows on the long elevation, and tall windows in the west gable end. New generating equipment was added as the demand for electricity increased. Equipment specification In 1923 the coal fired boilers were supplying 76,000 lb/h (9.58 kg/s) of steam to: 1 × 1,000 kW turbo-alternator AC 1 × 2,000 kW turbo-alternator AC 1 × 100 kW reciprocating engine DC 1 × 300 kW reciprocating engine DC These had a total generating capacity of 3400 kW. New plant was added 1921–26 comprising: Boilers: 3 × Babcock and Wilcox and 1 × Yarrow boilers with capacity of 1 × 50,000 lb/h (6.3 kg/s), 2 × 40,000 lb/h (5.04 kg/s) and 1 × 20,000 lb/hr (2.51 kg/s), a total generating capacity of 150,000 lb/hr (18.9 kg/s). Steam conditions were 205 and 215 psi and 560 °F, 590 °F and 600 °F (14.1 and 14.8 bar and 293 °C, 310 °C, 315 °C). The boilers supplied steam to: 1 × 2.0 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternator operating at 6.6 kV 2 × 5.0 MW British Thomson-Houston turbo-alternator operating at 6.6 kV 1 × 750 kW Metropolitan-Vickers rotary converter operating at 6.3 kV/480 V. By 1966 the installed generating capacity was 12 MW. The coal-fired chain gate boilers produced 147,000 lb/hr (18.5 kg/s) of steam at 175/215 psi (12.1/14.8 bar) and 285 °C. The condenser cooling system was unusual in being cooled with water abstracted from wells. Operating data In 1912 the power station was supplying 36 public arc lights and 377 incandescent lights in the town. By 1919 there were no arc lights but there were 453 public lamps in Gravesend. The generating capacity, maximum load, and electricity generated and sold (1913–37) was as follows: Operating data 1921–23 Detailed