How many chimneys does London's Battersea Power Station have?

With four chimneys, Battersea Power Station is a recognisable feature on the banks of the River Thames, near the Chelsea Bridge. Built during the 1930s and 1950s, the power station supplied 20 per cent of London's electricity and was the third largest generator in the United Kingdom.

The chimneys were a vital part of the power station. The steam produced by burning coal and oil inside the station was pushed out of the chimneys into the air. The steam was made of carbon dioxide, water vapour and other gases.

Power stations such as Battersea were not environmentally friendly, so as technology developed, alternatives to burning coal and oil were introduced. Eventually, Battersea Power Station was no longer needed. It was decommissioned in 1983.

Plans for the building came and went between 1983 and 2012, until Malaysian investors bought the site and redeveloped the area as a complex of restaurants, bars, shops and apartments.

The building featuring the four chimneys remains. In 2020, its interior was fitted out with offices, which are rented by several companies, including Apple. The opening of the new underground station, amusingly named 'Battersea Power Station Station', has made the area more accessible to the public and office workers.

As part of the redevelopment, the north west chimney is being converted into a viewing platform, to give visitors a 360 degree panoramic view of the London skyline. It will open in 2022.