Electricity Commissioners

Last updated
Electricity Commissioners
TypeGovernment Regulatory Body
IndustryEnergy: Electricity supply
FoundedFebruary 1920
Defunct31 March 1948
FateIndustry nationalisation
Successor British Electricity Authority
HeadquartersSavoy Court, Strand,
London WC2
,
United Kingdom
Area served
Great Britain
Key people
See section in text
ServicesRegulation of electricity industry
Number of employees
40 (1920)

The Electricity Commissioners were a department of the United Kingdom government's Ministry of Transport, which regulated the electricity supply industry from 1920 until nationalisation in 1948. It was responsible for securing reorganisation on a regional basis and considered schemes for centralisation in a small number of large generating stations owned by joint electricity authorities.

Contents

History

In 1917, the UK government was planning the reconstruction of the nation's industries after the First World War. The Board of Trade set up the Electric Power Supply Committee, chaired by Sir Archibald Williamson, which proposed the effective nationalisation of the industry.

Subsequently, in 1919 under the chairmanship of Sir Henry Birchenough, the Advisory Council to the Ministry of Reconstruction produced the Report of the Committee of Chairmen [lower-alpha 1] on Electric Power Supply. The committee were asked to submit general comments or suggestions on the broad administrative and commercial issues which had arisen out of the Williamson Report. The Birchenough Committee generally agreed with the Williamson Report but recommended that generation and transmission should be a single unified system with state regulation and finance and that means should be found for including distribution as well. [1] This recommendation was very far-sighted but considered too ambitious by the government. If acted upon it would have anticipated the Electricity Act 1947 by 28 years. [2]

Parliament rejected what would have been the effective nationalisation of the industry but enacted two of the committee's recommendations in a weaker form, including the setting up Electricity Commissioners and a number of joint electricity authorities formed by the electricity suppliers in each area.

The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919, was based essentially on the Williamson and Birchenough reports and introduced central co-ordination by establishing the Electricity Commissioners, an official body responsible for securing reorganisation on a regional basis. [1]

Operations

In 1925 the commissioners approved a system for the standardisation of electricity supply. The generation and distribution of electricity was undertaken at a range of voltages and frequencies; 109 suppliers provided AC only, 297 DC only, and 176 both AC and DC. [3] Supply voltages ranged from 100 V to >3,000 V. AC was supplied at 15 different frequencies ranging from 25 Hz to 100 Hz, even at the most common frequency of 50 Hz (supplied by 223 undertakings) some provided single phase, some two-phase and some three-phase. [3] The standard proposed by the commissioners was three-phase AC of 6.6 kV (or 11 kV, 33 kV, 49.5 kV or 66 kV). Lower voltages could be DC or AC. Frequency was to be 50 Hz ± 2.5%. [4]

The Electricity Commissioners published standards and guidance for electricity installations and reports on conferences and strategic policies for the industry (see Publications section).

The Electricity Commissioners recognised that their activities had met with limited success, they were involved in many public inquiries and negotiations between electricity undertakings. [5] Their powers of compulsion had been removed from the 1919 Electricity Bill and the period 1920 to 1926 has been characterised as a diagnosis of failure. [6] Some of these issues were addressed by the Weir Committee in 1925 which led to the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 and the establishment of the Central Electricity Board. [4] The CEB operated alongside the Electricity Commissioners until both were abolished upon nationalisation of the electricity industry on 1 April 1948. [4]

Section 58 of the Electricity Act 1947 gave the Minister the power to dissolve the Electricity Commissioners. [7] The Electricity Commissioners existed for some years after nationalisation, and finally closed in 1953.

Joint electricity authorities

Four joint electricity authorities were established after the Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 had empowered then to borrow money to finance electricity schemes. [1]

Key people

The first five Electricity Commissioners were: [8]

Later appointments

Publications

The Electricity Commissioners published the following reports, standards and guidance material: [4]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Viscount Haldane, Sir Archibald Williamson and Sir Charles Parsons

Related Research Articles

The United Kingdom Central Electricity Board was established by the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926. It had the duty to supply electricity to authorised electricity undertakers, to determine which power stations would be 'selected' stations to generate electricity for the Board, to provide main transmission lines to interconnect selected stations and electricity undertakers, and to standardise generating frequency.

Henry Birchenough

Sir John Henry Birchenough, 1st Baronet, was an English businessman and public servant.

Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 United Kingdom legislation

The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the law with respect to the supply of electricity. It established the statutory body of the Electricity Commissioners ‘to promote, regulate and supervise the supply of electricity’ under the direction of the Board of Trade. It provided for the formation of electricity districts and, where necessary, the establishment of joint electricity authorities, ‘to provide or secure the provision of a cheap and abundant supply of electricity’.

Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 United Kingdom legislation

The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the law on the supply of electricity. Its long title is: ‘An Act to amend the law with respect to the supply of electricity’. This Act was construed as one with the Electricity (Supply) Acts 1882 to 1922, and was cited as the Electricity (Supply) Acts 1882 to 1926. It established a statutory body, the Central Electricity Board (CEB), ‘with the duty of supplying electricity to authorised undertakers’ and to ‘appoint consultative technical committees’. It provided for the Electricity Commissioners to prepare and transmit to the CEB ‘electricity schemes’ for relevant areas, and which identified the most efficient ‘selected’ generating stations which were to be used to generate electricity for the Board. The Act provided for ‘main transmission line’ interconnections between selected stations and undertakings; and to standardise the frequency of generation; and other purposes. The provisions of the Act enabled the construction of the National Grid.

Huddersfield power station supplied electricity to the town of Huddersfield and the wider area from 1893 to 1981. It was owned and operated by Huddersfield Corporation until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s, and in the 1930s to 1950s. The station was decommissioned in October 1981.

Lombard Road power station supplied electricity to the Battersea area of South-East London from 1901 to 1972. It was owned and operated by the Borough of Battersea until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s and the 1930s. The station was decommissioned in 1972.

County of London Electric Supply Company

The County of London Electric Supply Company Limited was a British electricity undertaking. It was incorporated as a public company in 1891 to generate and supply electricity to parts of south west London and two parishes adjacent to the City of London. It owned and operated power stations at Wandsworth and City Road. From 1925 it cooperated with three other London companies, with the intention of centralising electricity generation in the new, high thermal efficiency, power station at Barking. The company was abolished in March 1948 upon the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry.

The South Metropolitan Electric Light and Power Company Limited was a British electricity undertaking. It was established in 1904 upon the amalgamation of two south London companies which had supplied electricity in south east London since 1893. It owned and operated a power station at Blackwell Point and one at Penge. From 1925 it formed an association with three other London companies, with the intention of centralising electricity generation in the new, high thermal efficiency, power station at Barking. The South Metropolitan Company was abolished in March 1948 upon the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry.

Reading power station, Berkshire, England supplied electricity to the town of Reading and the surrounding area from 1895 to the 1960s. It was initially owned and operated by the Reading Electric Supply Company Limited, then from 1933 by the Reading Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times with new equipment replacing retired plant. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Wallasey power station supplied electricity to the town of Wallasey and the surrounding area from 1897. It was owned and operated by Wallasey Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1920s and 1950. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Stoke-on-Trent power station supplied electricity to the county borough and later city of Stoke-on-Trent, England and the surrounding area from 1913 to the 1960s. The power station was initially owned and operated by Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, then by the North West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station operated in conjunction with power stations at Burslem, Hanley and Longport.

Scarborough power station supplied electricity to the town of Scarborough and the surrounding area from 1893 to 1958. It was owned and operated by the Scarborough Electric Supply Company Limited from 1893 to 1925, then by Scarborough Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The coal-fired power station had an ultimate electricity generating capacity of 7 MW prior to its closure in October 1958.

South Shields power station supplied electricity to the borough of South Shields and the surrounding area from 1896 to 1958. It was owned and operated by South Shields Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to meet increasing demand It was decommissioned in 1958.

Leeds power station, also known as Whitehall Road power station, supplied electricity to the city of Leeds and the surrounding area from 1893 to 1965. It was initially built, owned and operated by the Yorkshire House-to-House Electricity Company Limited. Leeds Corporation took over the electricity undertaking in 1898 and generated and distributed electricity until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times to meet increasing demand for electricity.

Burnley power station supplied electricity to the town of Burnley, Lancashire from 1893 to the 1958. The electricity station was owned and operated by Burnley Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced, and had an ultimate generating capacity of 8 MW in the 1920s. The station closed in 1958.

The Newport power stations supplied electricity to the town of Newport and the surrounding area from 1895 to the late 1970s. The original power station was in Llanarth Street which supplied electric lighting; a larger station, known as the East power station, was built in Corporation Road from 1903. They were owned and operated by Newport Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The East power station was redeveloped in the 1920s and 1940s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Nelson power station supplied electricity to the town of Nelson, Lancashire and the surrounding area from 1892 to 1960. The power station was owned and operated by Nelson Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped in 1922 to 1925 to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Warrington power station supplied electricity to the town of Warrington, Lancashire and the surrounding area from about 1900 to 1979. The power station was initially developed by the Warrington and District Electric Light and Power Company Limited, this was taken over by Warrington Corporation, which operated the power station prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

London Associated Electricity Undertakings Limited was an electricity supply company that operated in central and west London from 1935 to 1948. It was founded to acquire, combine and coordinate the electricity distribution interests of six west London electricity companies.

St Helens power station supplied electricity to the Borough of St Helens and the surrounding area from 1896 to the late 1960s. The power station was developed by the St Helens Corporation which operated it up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Electricity Supply in the UK: A chronology"The Electricity Council, 1987, ISBN   0-85188-105-X
  2. ↑ The Transmission of Electricity in England and Wales; land use and amenities, Goulty, George A, PHD thesis, Durham University 1969
  3. 1 2 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply - 1920-1923. London: HMSO. pp. xlii–xliv.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom: a chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 44–54, 60, 61. ISBN   085188105X.
  5. ↑ Hannah (1979) pp. 85-6
  6. ↑ Hannah (1979) pp. 75-100
  7. ↑ Electricity Act 1947 Section 58
  8. ↑ "New Electricity Commissioners (p.8)". The Times. 14 February 1920.
  9. ↑ "Electricity Commission (p. 16)". The Times. 19 March 1930.
  10. ↑ "Sir John Kennedy (p. 8)". The Times. 2 September 1954.
  11. ↑ "The new Electricity Commissioner (p. 16)". The Times. 20 May 1925.
  12. ↑ "Obituary Sir Leonard Pearce (p. 7)". The Times. 22 October 1947.
  13. ↑ "New Electricity Commissioner (p. 12)". The Times. 1 October 1926.
  14. ↑ "Sir John Brook (p. 14)". The Times. 2 April 1937.
  15. 1 2 "Electricity Commission Appointment (p. 10)". The Times. 25 May 1937.
  16. ↑ "A new Electricity Commissioner (p. 16)". The Times. 12 March 1929.
  17. ↑ "New Electricity Commissioner (p. 16)". The Times. 26 April 1935.
  18. ↑ "Obituary (p. 12)". The Times. 11 December 1957.
  19. ↑ "News in Brief (p. 2)". The Times. 28 June 1945.

Sources

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