Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
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The [[electrical power industry|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, [[nationalisation|nationalised]] and then [[privatisation|privatised]] again. The following is a list of major events in the history of the industry.
{| class="wikitable"
!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|1882||The Electric Lighting Act 1882 (repealed 1989) - allowed the setting up of supply systems by persons, companies or local authorities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|1888||The Electric Lighting Act 1888 (repealed 1989) - amendment to 1882 Act making the setting up of a supply company easier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|1899||The Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act 1899 (repealed 1989)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|1909||The Electric Lighting Act 1909 (repealed 1989).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 station]]s.
|-
|1919||Williamson Report leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (repealed 1989).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|1922||The Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 (repealed 1989)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|1926||Report by Lord Weir leads to The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (repealed 1989) - created [[Central Electricity Board]] and the [[National Grid]] operating at 132 kV (50 Hz)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|1936||The Electricity Supply (Meters) Act 1936 (repealed 1989)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|1943||The Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act 1943 (repealed 1989)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|1947||The [[Electricity Act 1947 (UK)|Electricity Act 1947]] (repealed 1989).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|1954||The Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954 (repealed 1989)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 (UK)|Central Electricity Authority]]. the [[Scottish Area Board]]s 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|| [http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2001/20013421.htm The Central Electricity Generating Board (Dissolution) Order 2001]. CEGB formally wound up.
|}
==See also==
*[[Energy policy of the United Kingdom]]
*[[Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom]]
==References==
* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890029_en_22.htm UK Acts repealed in 1989]
* [http://www.swehs.co.uk/docs/news31su.html William E. Eyles, "Electricity in Bath 1890 – 1974" - explains the 1882 Act]
* [http://www.scotlandeuropa.com/PUBLIC%20SITE/Scotland%20Europa%20Papers/paper8.doc Ben Duncan, "Public Service Obligations in a Competitive Electricity Market", 1996] (Microsoft Word format)
* [http://www.parliament.uk/post/pn163.pdf "UK Electricity Networks", Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2001 ("Postnote" 163)] (PDF)
[[Category:Energy in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:National electric power policy]]
[[Category:British history timelines|Electricity supply industry]]