Michiel 2005's photos with the keyword: electriciteitsfabriek

With the former offices of the city government and the power station.

The power plant in Leiden is an auxiliary plant, only making electricity when there is an extra demand. The problem with electricity is that you cannot store it conveniently, the electricity that is demanded has to be produced on the spot. So every country has power plants on stand-by to produce electricity when needed. Not so long ago a programme series was shown on the BBC, called Britain from Above . It was about the infrastructure of Britain. One programme was about electricity production. It showed the central electricity generating control room, during the time the popular British soap Eastenders ended. Because everybody switched on the (electric) kettle after Eastenders , the auxiliary power plants (mainly hydropower stations in Scotland) had to be switched on on exactly the right moment, otherwise the entire system would fail. If needed they could buy electricity from France. Let's hope a popular soap in France wouldn't end on the same moment.

Dates from 1911.

Dates from 1911.

Above the door. Clock by Siemens. On the right "Electricity", on the left "Gas". Dates from 1911.