Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
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The electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom began in the 1890s for the purpose of street lighting. During the 20th century the system was organised into a national network, nationalised and then privatised again. The following is a list of major events in the history of the industry.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1882 | The Electric Lighting Act 1882 (repealed 1989) - allowed the setting up of supply systems by persons, companies or local authorities |
| 1888 | The Electric Lighting Act 1888 (repealed 1989) - amendment to 1882 Act making the setting up of a supply company easier |
| 1891 | London Electric Supply Corporation (LESCo) opened Deptford power station, UK's first AC power system, designed by Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti. |
| 1899 | The Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act 1899 (repealed 1989) |
| 1909 | The Electric Lighting Act 1909 (repealed 1989). Regulated planning consent for building power stations. |
| 1919 | Williamson Report leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (repealed 1989). Established Electricity Supply Corporation and appointed Electricity Commissioners |
| 1922 | The Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 (repealed 1989) |
| 1926 | Report by Lord Weir leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (repealed 1989) - created Central Electricity Board and National Grid (132 kV 50 Hz) |
| 1933 | National Grid started operating as interconnected set of regional grids |
| 1936 | The Electricity Supply (Meters) Act 1936 (repealed 1989) |
| 1938 | National Grid became truly integrated |
| 1943 | The Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act 1943 (repealed 1989) |
| 1947 | The Electricity Act 1947 (repealed 1989). Merged over 600 electricity companies to form the British Electricity Authority. |
| 1954 | The Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954 (repealed 1989) |
| 1955 | British Electricity Authority becomes Central Electricity Authority. Scottish Area Boards merged into South of Scotland Electricity Board. |
| 1957 | The Electricity Act 1957 (repealed 1989). Central Electricity Authority dissolved and replaced by Central Electricity Generating Board and the Electricity Council. |
| 1961 | The Electricity (Amendment) Act 1961 (repealed 1989) |
| 1963 | The Electricity and Gas Act 1963 (repealed 1989) |
| 1968 | The Gas and Electricity Act 1968 (repealed 1989) |
| 1972 | The Electricity Act 1972 (repealed 1989) |
| 1979 | The Electricity (Scotland) Act 1979 (repealed 1989) |
| 1989 | The Electricity Act 1989 - plan for privatising the industry |
| 1990 | Beginning of privatisation. CEGB assets broken up into four new companies: Powergen, National Power, Nuclear Electric and National Grid Company. |
| 1991 | Scottish industry privatised |
| 1992 | Electricity supply in Northern Ireland privatised. Premier Power formed. |
| 1993 | Supply industry in Northern Ireland privatised |
| 2000 | Utilities Act 2000 - places responsibilities on generators to allow for connecting distributed energy sources to grid |
| 2001 | [The Central Electricity Generating Board (Dissolution) Order 2001]. CEGB formally wound up. |
See also
References
- [UK Acts repealed in 1989]
- [William E. Eyles, "Electricity in Bath 1890 – 1974" - explains the 1882 Act]
- [Ben Duncan, "Public Service Obligations in a Competitive Electricity Market", 1996] (Microsoft Word format)
- ["UK Electricity Networks", Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2001 ("Postnote" 163)] (PDF)
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