| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity industry |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Defunct | 1 April 1948 |
| Fate | Industry nationalisation |
| Successor | South East Scotland Electricity Board |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, Scotland |
Area served | Scotland |
Key people | George Balfour (chairman |
| Products | Electric power |
Production output | 473 GWh (1948) |
| £348,700 (1947) |
The Scottish Power Company Limited was an electricity industry holding company that operated from 1909 until 1948. Its subsidiary companies generated and supplied electricity to up to 136,800 consumers in an area of 13,000 square miles over large parts of Scotland.
The Scottish Power Company Limited was incorporated in 1909. [1] Its sole subsidiary at that time was the Scottish Central Electric Power Company which had been established in 1903 under the terms of the Scottish Central Electric Power Act 1903 (3 Edw. 7 ccxli). [2] The Central Company had constructed and operated a power station at Bonnybridge near Falkirk. [1]
The Scottish Power company's management board in 1927 comprised: Henry Brown (chairman); George Balfour; J.W. Bowhill; Sir T.O. Callender; and Ian C.A. Murray. [1]
In 1937 the board comprised: George Balfour (chairman); Alexander H. Bowhill; Sir T.O. Callender; Ian C.A. Murray; and Kenneth Sanderson. George Balfour died in September 1941 and was succeeded as chairman by William Shearer who remained chairman until 1948. [3] [4]
The company's registered office was 10 Melville Street, Edinburgh. [1]
The Scottish Power Company went on to acquire the shares and capital of other Scottish electricity undertakings. By 1927 these included: [1]
By 1930 the Scottish Power Company had also acquired: [5]
By 1937 its subsidiaries also included: [6]
By 1948 the Power Company had absorbed 21 electricity undertakings and had made arrangements for the acquisition of nine other undertakings. [4] However, these arrangements were abandoned as a consequence of the nationalization of the electricity industry. The Scottish Power Company was dissolved and its power stations and power lines were vested in the South East Scotland Electricity Board. [7]
The engineering details of the power stations operated by the subsidiary companies in 1921 were as follows: [8]
| Company | Power station | Generating plant, steam unless stated | Total generating capacity, MW | Electricity supplied, MWh | Maximum Load, kW | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbroath | Arbroath | 1 × 150 kW, 1 × 300 kW, 1 × 600 kW | 1.050 | 1,115.1 | 800 | 2,793 |
| Dunblane | Dunblane | Not operational | – | – | – | – |
| Duncan's | Aboyne | Not operational | – | – | – | – |
| Duncan's | Ballater | 2 × 42 kW (oil) | 84 | 44.58 | 40 | 186 |
| Duncan's | Ellon | 2 × 42 kW (oil) | 84 | 50.4 | 50 | 240 |
| Fife | Dunfermline | 1 × 300 kW, 1 × 1250 kW, 1 × 1500 kW, 1 × 3500 kW, 1 × 5000 kW | 16.55 | 21,149.5 | 6,408 | 8,877 |
| Grampian | Not operational | – | – | – | – | |
| North of Scotland | Brechin | 2 × 66 kW | 132 | 177.2 | 129 | 956 |
| North of Scotland | Inverness | 2 × 90 kW, 1 × 150 kW, 1 × 220 kW, 1 × 300 kW | 850 | 818.1 | 620 | 2,698 |
| North of Scotland | Montrose | 2 × 66 kW, 1 × 75 kW, 1 × 150 kW, 1 × 150 kW | 507 | 406.8 | 385 | 1,945 |
| Scottish Midlands | – | – | 280.7 | 200 | 650 |
In 1946 the following subsidiary companies and their power stations were operational. [9]
| Company | Power station | Type | Electricity supplied, MWh | Maximum load, kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fife | Dunfermline | Steam | 7,432 | 10,850 |
| Grampian | Arbroath | Steam | 2,548 | 4,120 |
| Grampian | Ballater | Oil | 1.20 | 74 |
| Grampian | Broara | Oil | 68.6 | 470 |
| Grampian | Elgin | Oil | 83.2 | 450 |
| Grampian | Fochabers | Oil | 2.92 | 42 |
| Grampian | Lairg | Oil | 291.6 | 160 |
| Grampian | Loch Luichart | Hydro | 13,219 | 2,035 |
| Grampian | Oban | Oil | 75.1 | 950 |
| Grampian | Perth | Steam | 442 | 3,247 |
| Grampian | Rannoch | Hydro | 157,273 | 44,520 |
| Grampian | Tummel | Hydro | 113,427 | 23,950 |
| North of Scotland | Brechin | Steam | 3.19 | 50 |
| Scottish Central | Bonnybridge | Steam | 68,625.7 | 52,770 |
| Scottish Southern | Galashiels | Steam | 5,157.3 | 5,805 |
Outline operational details of the Scottish Power Company over its lifetime are summarised in the table. The data demonstrates the significant growth of the company. [1] [5] [6] [4]
| Year | 1910 | 1920 | 1927 | 1930 | 1937 | 1948 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generating capacity, MW | 1.8 | 80.0 | 152.322 | 181.76 | ||
| Connected load, MW | 1.4 | 22.0 | 63.790 | 457.5 | ||
| Electricity sold, MWh | 2,000 | 13,030 (1922) | 26,600 | 70,000 | 473,000 | |
| Power lines, miles | 18.25 | 150 | 3,000 | 5,185 | ||
| Consumers | 1,400 | 19,264 | 63,000 | 136,800 | ||
| Capital, £ | 93,174 | 353,858 | 3,440,173 | 4,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 15,000,000 |
| Subsidiary companies | 1 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 21 |
Individual power stations continued to operate following nationalisation. These Included Dunfermline (25.4 MW); Bonnybridge (37 MW); and Galashiels (6.625 MW). [10]
The capital available to the company is shown on the table above. The net profit (£1000) from the company's operations is shown on the graph. [3] [1] [4] [5]
 | This graph was using the legacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to the new Chart extension. |
Under the terms of the Electricity Act 1947 the British electricity was nationalized on 1 April 1948. [7] The Scottish Power Company was dissolved and its infrastructure such as power stations and power lines were vested in the South East Scotland Electricity Board.