The station supplied electricity to Accrington and to Haslingden and the Altham and Clayton-le-Moors areas between 1900 and 1958.

Accrington Corporation sought, and obtained, from the Board of Trade a Provisional Order to generate and supply electricity to the town in 1890.

To maintain electricity supply at times of high demand chloride batteries with a total capacity of 750 amp hours are installed.

[5] The refuse destructor was built at the same time as, and was an integral part of, the power station.

Lancashire boilers – 7½ by 30 ft (2.3 by 9.1 m) – were located at the back of each cell with a heating surface area of 1,000 square feet (93 m2) each.

After combustion clinker and ash made up about 35.5 percent by weight of the refuse burned.

It was converted to electric traction supplied from Accrington power station.

[6] The Altham Colliery Company applied to the Corporation for a supply of electricity but suitable terms could not be found.

[6] The Corporation assumed an installed capacity of 2,000 brake horse power (1,491 kW) and a load factor of 60 percent, it was estimated that such a scheme would realise a saving of £1,000 per year compared to conventional steam generation.

An 11,000 Volt main was installed between Padiham and Accrington power stations.