History
| County of Durham Electric Power Supply Act 1900 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for incorporating and conferring powers upon the County of Durham Electric Power Supply Company and for other purposes. |
| Citation | 63 & 64 Vict. c. ccxxxi |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 6 August 1900 |
| County of Durham Electric Power Supply Act 1906 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for conferring further powers upon the County of Durham Electric Power Supply Company and for other purposes. |
| Citation | 6 Edw. 7. c. clxxxii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 4 August 1906 |
| County of Durham Electric Power Supply Act 1909 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to confer further powers upon the County of Durham Electric Power Supply Company and for other purposes. |
| Citation | 9 Edw. 7. c. xxxvi |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 16 August 1909 |
The County of Durham Electrical Power Distribution Company Limited was registered on 19 April 1899. It obtained legal powers for the supply of electricity on the south of the River Tyne, which included engineering works and collieries. [1] Electricity was bought in bulk from the County of Durham Electric Power Supply Company. It was distributed from about 24 substations throughout the supply area. The total connections, units sold and profits were:
| Year | Connections, Horse-Power | Electricity sold actual, MWh | Electricity sold projected, MWh | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 568.2 | |||
| 1902 | 25,26.3 | |||
| 1903 | 3,630.8 | |||
| 1904 | 4,437.6 | |||
| 1905 | 6,500 | £14,200 | ||
| 1906 | 13,200 | 13,000 | £26,000 | |
| 1907 | 20,757 | 20,000 | £45,500 | |
| 1908 | 29,366 | 37,000 | £57,500 | |
| 1909 | 35,024 | |||
| 1910 | 39,070 | |||
| 1911 | 43,525 | |||
| 1912 | 54,525 |
In 1915 electric current was supplied at: [3]
- 3-phase, AC, 40Hz, 5,750 & 2,750 V
- 3-phase, AC, 40Hz, 440 & 240 V
- DC, 480 & 240 V
Directors
Until 1905 the distribution company was run from London by the British Electric Traction Company. In 1905 the board of directors was reconstituted under local management. [2] This had been facilitated by the financial difficulties of Emile Garcke’s company. [4] The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Company (NESCo) purchased the Distribution Company and County of Durham Electric Power Supply Company. The companies were physically connected through cables running across the High Level Bridge across the Tyne. [4]
The directors in 1905 were: [2]
- John Theodore Merz (chair)
- John Hobart Armstrong
- Robert Spence Watson
- Sir Lindsay Wood
- William Leonard Madgen
- Sir Thomas Richardson
- Robert Patrick Sloan
The distribution company offered shares on the stock market, such as £500,000 in 1905. [2]
The board in 1915 comprised: [1]
- John Theodore Merz (chair)
- John Hobart Armstrong
- Sir Lindsay Wood
- William Leonard Madgen
- Robert Patrick Sloan
The company was dissolved in 1933 under the provisions of the North-Eastern Electric Supply Act 1932 (22 & 23 Geo. 5. c. xxxii). [5]