Group    From 1950 

Pimlico District Heating Undertaking

The first district heating system built in the UK, with the UK's largest thermal store, the accumulator. It supplies heat to 3,256 homes, 50 business premises and three schools. Owned and managed by Westminster City Council. 

It was designed into the estate from the beginning, 1950, originally using waste heat from Battersea Power Station, just a short under-water pipe away. When Battersea Power Station closed in 1983, a coal-fired boiler was built to supply the system with heat. This was converted to gas in 1989. Following a refurbishment in 2006 it now runs off two CHP engines and three gas boilers, all located in the Pump House in Churchill Gardens, presumably the low building behind the accumulator.

2025: The system is in urgent need of updating: “The PDHU pipework is decades beyond its design life and as a result, leaks are disruptive to residents, repairs are becoming increasingly expensive and insulation is of a substandard quality.”

Sources: Westminster, Wikipedia.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Pimlico District Heating Undertaking

Commemorated ati

Pimlico District Heating Undertaking refurbished

To celebrate the pioneering work of Pimlico District Heating Undertaking and ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Barbara Jessie Burton

Barbara Jessie Burton

Born Sheffield. See Arnold for a photo of the 4 Burton children and details of this family.

Person, Commerce

1 memorial
Midland Bank

Midland Bank

Founded as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Birmingham. Expanded to become the London City and Midland Bank in 1891, and Midland Bank Ltd in 1923. In 1992, it was taken over by HSBC who had phase...

Group, Commerce

3 memorials
Arnold James Burton

Arnold James Burton

See Burtons.  The picture shows, left to right: Arnold, Barbara, Stanley, Raymond.

Person, Commerce

2 memorials
Sun Public House

Sun Public House

This pub was destroyed in a WW2 air raid shortly before closing time on 25th September 1940. The plaque says that 20 people were killed; Pubwiki puts the number at 16. The site stood empty for many...

Building, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink

1 memorial