Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom began in the late 1870s originally for the purpose of providing street lighting. It was at Godalming in November 1881 that a supply was made available for the public. 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1882	The Electric Lighting Act 1882 (repealed 1989) - allowed the setting up of supply systems by persons, companies or local authorities
1888	The Electric Lighting Act 1888 (repealed 1989) - amendment to 1882 Act making the setting up of a supply company easier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1899	The Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act 1899 (repealed 1989)
1909	The Electric Lighting Act 1909 (repealed 1989).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1919	Williamson Report leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (repealed 1989).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1922	The Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 (repealed 1989)
1926	Report by Lord Weir leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (repealed 1989) - created Central Electricity Board and the National Grid operating at 132 kV (50 Hz)
1933	The 132kV National Grid started operating as interconnected set of regional grids
1936	The Electricity Supply (Meters) Act 1936 (repealed 1989)
1938	The 132kV National Grid becomes integrated for the first time
1943	The Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act 1943 (repealed 1989)
1947	The Electricity Act 1947 (repealed 1989). It merged 625 electricity companies to be vested in 12 Area Electricity Boards and the Generation and 132kV National Grid were vested with the British Electricity Authority.
1954	The Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954 (repealed 1989)
1955	British Electricity Authority becomes the Central Electricity Authority. the Scottish Area Boards are merged into South of Scotland Electricity Board and the North of Scotland Hydro Board.
1957	The Electricity Act 1957 (repealed 1989). The Central Electricity Authority was 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1961	The Electricity (Amendment) Act 1961 (repealed 1989)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 Electricity Industry
1990	Beginning of privatisation. The assets of the CEGB are broken up into three new companies: Powergen, National Power and National Grid Company. Latterly the nuclear component within National Power was removed and vested in another state owned company called Nuclear Electric
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.