The energy industry is the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution. Modern society consumes large amounts of fuel, and the energy industry is a crucial part of the infrastructure and maintenance of society in almost all countries.
The Electricity Act 1947 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which nationalised, or bought into state control, the electricity supply industry in Great Britain. It established a central authority called the British Electricity Authority (BEA) to own and operate all public electricity generation and transmission facilities and created 14 area electricity boards with a duty to acquire bulk supplies of electricity from the central authority and to distribute and sell electricity economically and efficiently to industrial, commercial and domestic consumers. It vested 505 separate local authority and company owned electricity undertakings in the BEA with effect from 1 April 1948. The Electricity Act 1947 is one of a number of Acts promulgated by the post-war Labour government to nationalise elements of the UK’s industrial infrastructure; other Acts include the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946; Transport Act 1947 ; Gas Act 1948; and Iron and Steel Act 1949.
This timeline outlines the key developments in the United Kingdom electricity industry from the start of electricity supplies in the 1870s to the present day. It identifies significant developments in technology for the generation, transmission and use of electricity; outlines developments in the structure of the industry including key organisations and facilities; and records the legislation and regulations that have governed the UK electricity industry.
The Gas Act 1986 created the framework for privatisation of the gas supply industry in Great Britain. This legislation would be replacing the British Gas Corporation with British Gas plc. The Act also established a licensing regime, a Gas Consumers’ Council, and a regulator for the industry called the Office of Gas Supply (OFGAS).
The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 is a UK Act of Parliament to consolidate the enactments relating to petroleum and petroleum-spirit. It specified and updated the conditions for the granting of licenses for keeping petroleum spirit; the labelling of containers for petroleum spirit; its transport; and regulations for certain uses.
The Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which started the process of privatisation of the oil and gas industries in the UK. It empowered the government to float off and sell shares in Britoil the upstream production side of the British National Oil Corporation. It ended the British Gas Corporation’s monopoly on the transportation and supply of gas, opening up the gas market to other gas suppliers. The Act made miscellaneous provisions relating to the oil and gas industries concerning Petroleum Licences and Offshore Installations.
The Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which addressed the licensing, ownership, exploitation, production, transportation, processing and refining of petroleum and petroleum products in the UK. Enacted in 1975 when the UK’s first North Sea oil was produced, the act aimed to provide greater public control of the oil industry. The act established the British National Oil Corporation and a National Oil Account; modified the conditions of petroleum licences; controlled the construction and use of underground pipelines; and controlled the development of oil refineries.
The Petroleum Act 1987 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which updates the arrangements for regulating offshore installations and their operation. In particular it makes provisions for the licensing and the safe and orderly abandonment of installations and submarine pipelines.
The Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which clarified the ownership of underground petroleum, vesting it in the Crown. It made provision for searching and boring for and getting (producing) petroleum and natural gas, under appropriate licenses.
The Gas Act 1965 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which extended the powers of the Gas Council to buy, make or supply gas; it authorised and controlled the underground storage of gas; and permitted the sale of industrial gas for non-fuel purposes. The Act was in response to changing technologies that had developed since the gas industry was nationalised in 1949.
The Gas and Electricity Act 1968 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which extended the powers of the Gas Council, the area gas boards and the Electricity Council to borrow money, including foreign currency, to meet their obligations; it permitted statutory gas and electricity bodies to render technical aid overseas; and allowed further member appointments to the Electricity Council. The Act was principally in response to a rapid growth of the gas industry following the discovery of North Sea gas on the UK Continental Shelf in 1965.
The Electricity Supply (Meters) Act 1936 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulated the provision and examination of electricity meters used by authorised electricity undertakings. It placed duties on the Electricity Commissioners to appoint meter examiners to examine and certify meters; and on electricity undertakings to supply and maintain apparatus to examine, test and regulate meters. The Act established that meters already in use on the appointed day be deemed as proper meters to measure the supply of electricity.
The Energy Act 1983 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the law to facilitate the generation and supply of electricity other than by Electricity Boards. It also obliged Electricity Boards to adopt combined heat and power schemes. It gave statutory status to the Electricity Consumers' Council. The Act defined the duties of persons responsible for nuclear installations and penalties for a breach of those duties.
The Energy Act 1976 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which empowered the Secretary of State to control the production, supply, acquisition and use of fuels and electricity, and included measures for the conservation of fuels.
The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1929 is an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland which consolidates enactments relating to petroleum and petroleum products that already applied to other parts of the United Kingdom.
The Petroleum Act1926 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amends and extends the Petroleum Acts 1871 and 1879.
The Statutory Gas Companies Act 1925 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which facilitated the supply of electricity by gas companies.
The Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which gave effect to safeguards associated with the international agreement on nuclear weapons. It also authorised the financing of Drax power station.
Gas for lighting and heating has been supplied to users on the Isle of Man starting in 1836; first as town gas, then as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and since 2003 natural gas has been available. The future use of hydrogen as a supplementary or substitute fuel is being studied.
The Electricity Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which facilitated the Government's response to the financial difficulties of British Energy.
