The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. 100) was an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

which amended the law with respect to the supply of electricity. It established the statutory body of the

Electricity Commissioners 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 ...

‘to promote, regulate and supervise the supply of electricity’ under the direction of the

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

. 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’.

Background

In 1917, the UK government was planning the reconstruction of the nation's industries after the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The

set up the Electric Power Supply Committee, chaired by Sir Archibald Williamson, which proposed the effective

nationalisation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to pri ...

of the industry. Subsequently, in 1919 under the chairmanship of Sir

Henry Birchenough Sir John Henry Birchenough, 1st Baronet, (7 March 1853 – 12 May 1937) was an English businessman and public servant. Early life and education Birchenough was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, the second son of John Birchenough, a silk manufac ...

, the Advisory Council to the Ministry of Reconstruction produced the Report of the Committee of Chairmen 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. This recommendation was very far-sighted but considered too ambitious by the government. If acted upon it would have anticipated the

Electricity Act 1947 The Electricity Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. 54.) 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 t ...

by 28 years. 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 of the

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.

The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919

The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 received Royal Assent on 23 December 1919. Its long title is: ’An Act to amend the Law with respect to the supply of electricity’.

Provisions

The provisions of the Act were as follows.Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 ''Electricity Commissioners'' To established a body called the

to promote, regulate and supervise the supply of electricity (section 1 (1)). The number of commissioners and their duties (section 1 (2–8). The Board of Trade to exercise its duties through the Commissioners (section 3). Commissioners to conduct experiments on electricity supply (section 3). Appointment of advisory committee (section 4). ''Reorganisation of supply of electricity'' Determination of electricity districts (section 5). Establishment of joint electricity authorities (section 6). Making orders to confirm schemes (section 7). Powers and duties of joint electricity authorities (section 8). ''Generating stations'' A joint electricity authority may own a generating station or main transmission line (section 9) and acquire land (section 10). Extensions and new stations require consent of the commissioners (section 11). ''Powers of joint electricity authorities'' Powers of joint electricity authorities (section 12). Transfer of undertakings to joint electricity authorities (section 13), Power companies and joint electricity authorities (section 14), subsidiary powers such as abstraction of water, waste heat, by-product plant (section 15). Deprivation of employment (section 16), plans for capital expenditure (section 17). ''Transitory provisions'' Construction of interim works (section 18), mutual assistance between undertakings permitted (section 19). ''Amendments of Electric Lighting Acts'' Transfer of powers of the Ministry of Health, the Scottish Office and London County Council (section 20). Wayleaves (section 22), supply of apparatus (section 23), alteration of type of current (section 24). Amendment of 1882 Act (section 25), substitution of special for provisional orders (section 26), requirement for accounts (section 27). ''Financial provisions'' Revenue and expenditure of joint electricity authorities (section 28), expenses and appropriation of Electricity Commissioners (section 29), other expenses (section 30). ''General'' Agreements and arrangements (section 32). Holding inquiries (section 33), power to make rules (section 34). Special orders (section 35). Definitions (section 36). Application to Scotland and Ireland (sections 37 and 38). Transfer of powers of Board of Trade to Minister of Transport (section 39). Short title and construction (section 40). ''Schedule'' relating to section 35.

Joint electricity authorities

Four joint electricity authorities were established after the

Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 The Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. 46) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the law on the supply of electricity. This Act was construed as one with the Electricity (Supply) Acts 1882 to 1919, and wa ...

had enabled then to borrow money to finance electricity schemes.

North Wales & South Cheshire Joint Electricity Authority

The North Wales and South Cheshire Joint Electricity Authority was formed in 1923. The principal electricity undertaking was North Wales Power Company which, under the supervision of the Joint Electricity Authority, controlled generation and transmission and supplied electricity to local undertakings in the area with the exception of Chester. Upon abolition in 1948 the joint electricity authority’s assets were transferred to the Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB).

London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority

The

London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority The London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority was a United Kingdom statutory body established in 1925 with the responsibility to "provide or secure the provision of a cheap and abundant supply of electricity” within the County of Lond ...

was established in 1925 to "provide or secure the provision of a cheap and abundant supply of electricity within the district". The district covered 1,841 square miles including the whole of the counties of London and Middlesex, and parts of Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire. Upon abolition in 1948 the JEA’s assets were split between the South Eastern Electricity Board, the

Eastern Electricity Board Eastern Electricity plc was an electricity supply and distribution utility serving eastern England, including East Anglia and part of Greater London. It was renamed ''Eastern Group'' under which name it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and ...

and the

London Electricity Board The London Electricity Board was the public sector utility company responsible for the supply and distribution of electricity to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers in London prior to 1990. It also sold and made available for hire and ...

West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority

The West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority was established in 1925 by the West Midlands Electricity District Order 1925 made under the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919. It covered an area of about 1,000 square miles, including much of Shropshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. The JEA included representatives of Midland Electricity Corporation; Wolverhampton, Walsall, West Bromwich, Cannock and Shrewsbury councils; colliery owners; railway companies; and electricity industry workers. In 1928 it acquired four power stations: Ocker Hill formerly operated by the Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution; the 30 MW Wolverhampton power station; the 28 MW Walsall

Birchills power station Birchills power station and Walsall power station are a series of three coal-fired power stations in, or near, Walsall in the West Midlands, England. Walsall power station (1895–1917) The first electricity supply to Walsall began in the 189 ...

; and the 6.65 MW West Bromwich station. The joint electricity authority built the 200 MW Ironbridge A power station (1932). The JEA’s stations were linked through a system operating at 33 kV. On 1 October 1938 the JEA took over Shrewsbury power station. The JEA’s principal office was at Phoenix Buildings, Dudley Road, Wolverhampton. Upon abolition in 1948 the JEA’s assets were transferred to the Midlands Electricity Board.

North West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority

The North West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority was established by the North West Midlands Electricity District Order 1928. It covered an area of 800 square miles of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire including Stoke-on-Trent. It acquired the Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford power stations on 1 April 1930. Thereafter Stoke Corporation and Stafford Corporation purchased electricity in bulk from the JEA. It was based in York Chambers, Kingsway, Stoke-on-Trent. The joint electricity authority built the 120 MW Meaford A power station first commissioned in 1947. Upon abolition in 1948 the JEA’s supply assets were transferred to the

Midlands Electricity Board The Midlands Electricity Board was the public sector utility company responsible for the purchase of electricity from the electricity generator (the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1958) and its distribution and sale of electricity t ...

, with generating assets going to the

British Electricity Authority The British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established as the central British electricity authority in 1948 under the nationalisation of Great Britain's electricity supply industry enacted by the Electricity Act 1947. The BEA was responsible for ...

Later enactments

The

(12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. 46). Enabled joint electricity authorities to borrow money to finance electricity schemes. The London Electricity (Nos. 1 & 2) Acts 1925 (14 & 15 Geo. 5) permitted the London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority to purchase company electricity undertakings in London area in 1971. The

Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 51) 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 ...

(16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 51), established the

Central Electricity Board The United Kingdom Central Electricity Board (CEB) 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 ...

. The

(10 & 11 Geo. 6, c. 54), nationalised the UK electricity supply industry. The Electricity Commissioners and the joint electricity authorities were abolished. The ownership of electricity generation and transmission facilities were vested in the

, and electricity distribution and sales in local electricity boards. The 1919 Act and most other electricity-related British legislation were repealed and replaced by the

Electricity Act 1989 The Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29) provided for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry in Great Britain, by replacing the Central Electricity Generating Board in England and Wales and by restructuring the South of Scotland Electricity ...

References

{{reflist United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1919 1919 in England Electric power in the United Kingdom