Joint Electricity Authorities were statutory bodies established in the United Kingdom in the 1920s which aimed to provide a cheap and abundant supply of electricity to consumers. This was achieved by constructing and operating power stations, and electricity transmission and distribution systems on a coordinated basis in regional Electricity Districts overseen by Joint Electricity Authorities.
Background
The Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. 100) established the statutory body of the Electricity Commissioners ‘to promote, regulate and supervise the supply of electricity’ under the direction of the Board of Trade. The Act provided for the Commissioners to constitute Electricity Districts and, where appropriate, to establish Joint Electricity Authorities (JEAs), ‘to provide or secure the provision of a cheap and abundant supply of electricity’, with the agreement of the electricity undertakings concerned. The aim of the joint authorities was to produce electricity more economically by inter-connecting power stations and transmission systems on a regional basis. The Joint Authority would acquire all the power stations in the area and build large, efficient and economic super-stations.
The Electricity Commissioners had started work in January 1920 and had identified Electricity Districts across the country.
Electricity Districts
Fifteen Electricity Districts were identified.
East of Scotland Electricity District
Edinburgh and Lothians Electricity District
London and Home Counties Electricity District
Lower Severn Electricity District
Mersey and West Lancashire Electricity District
Mid Lancashire Electricity District
North East Midlands Electricity District
North Lancashire and South Cumberland Electricity District
North Wales and Chester Electricity District
North West Midlands Electricity District
South East Lancashire Electricity District
South Wales Electricity District
South West Midlands Electricity District
West of Scotland Electricity District
West Riding (Aire & Calder) Electricity District
Joint Electricity Authorities issues
The establishment of Joint Electricity Authorities (JEAs) was slow and problematic. JEAs were set up on a voluntary basis, and they were largely supported by local authority electricity undertakings. But power companies thought that the JEAs would take over their functions and therefore opposed their establishment.
The Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. 46) amended the law on the supply of electricity. It established the powers of JEAs to borrow money for the construction and operation of electricity generating and transmission systems and protected the interests of the power companies.
The Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 51) established the Central Electricity Board to coordinate the supply of electricity across the country and to construct the national grid.
The Authorities
In the event only four joint authorities were established:
North Wales & South Cheshire Joint Electricity Authority
The North Wales and South Cheshire Joint Electricity Authority was the first JEA to be formed in August 1923. The JEA transferred some powers, rights and obligations to the North Wales Power Company, this included all rights of distribution of electricity in the area. From this time the JEA was effectively the North Wales Power Company. The Power company developed several hydro-power stations and extended transmission lines to towns and industrial areas. The Power Company 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 generating plant and transmission systems were devolved to the British Electricity Authority and the distribution systems to the Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB).