Electric Supply Corporation Limited

Electric Supply Corporation Limited
Company type	Public limited company
Industry	Electricity generation and distribution
Founded	April 8, 1897; 129 years ago
Defunct	April 1, 1948
Fate	Nationalisation under the Electricity Act 1947
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Key people	R. E. B. Crompton (founder/subscriber), Carleton Fowell Tufnell (chairman, 1904), John George Brand Stone (chairman, 1913–1932), Kenneth Alexander Scott-Moncrieff (managing director/chairman), A.J. Fippard (chairman, 1939–1948)
Products	Electrical power generation and distribution

The Electric Supply Corporation Limited operated as a public limited company within the electricity generation and distribution sector from 1897 until its nationalisation in 1948. Together with its subsidiaries, it produced and delivered electrical power to numerous towns throughout Scotland and England.

Foundation

On 8 April 1897, the Electric Supply Corporation Limited was officially registered by Crompton and Company Limited with the purpose of acquiring electricity enterprises and supplying electricity for lighting, power, and traction uses. Subsequently, Crompton transferred its assets to this corporation.

Management

The original subscribers at the company's inception included R. E. B. Crompton, F. R. Reeves, H. Stevenson, C. Peel, A. Williams, H. Walker, and F. Holmes, with an authorized capital consisting of 1,000 shares valued at £5 each.

By 1904, the board of directors featured Carleton Fowell Tufnell as chairman, alongside Home Gordon, Major Charles Heaton-Ellis, and Colonel Henry Wood. John George Brand Stone held the chairmanship in 1913, 1923, and 1932. The 1923 board included Sir Gordon Home, Ralph Tichborne Hinches, Edwin Herbert Francis Reeves, Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton, and managing director Kenneth Alexander Scott-Moncrieff, who later served as chairman in both 1935 and 1937. From 1939 until the company's nationalisation in 1948, A.J. Fippard was chairman.

Initially headquartered at Salisbury House on London Wall, the registered office moved around 1930 to Winchester House on Old Broad Street in London.

Operating districts

By 1904, the Electric Supply Corporation Limited had stakes in developing electrical infrastructure across various towns and urban districts. The tables below list these undertakings with their initial electricity supply dates and respective operators.

Electric Supply Corporation Scottish undertakings
Undertaking	Initial electricity supply	Operator (1923)
Carnoustie		?
Dalkeith	5 March 1904	Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.
Dollar	19 March 1904	Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.
Dumbarton		Dumbarton Corporation
Jedburgh	1 December 1903	Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.
Melrose		Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.
St Andrews		Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.

Electric Supply Corporation English undertakings
Undertaking	Initial electricity supply	Operator (1923 unless otherwise noted)
Chelmsford	14 April 1890	Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.
Dawlish		Dawlish Electric Light and Power Co.
Exmouth		Exmouth Urban District Council
Falmouth		Electric Supply Corporation Ltd., also operated in 1946
Hendon		Hendon Electric Supply Co. Ltd.
Hitchin		Hitchin Urban District Council
Launceston		Launceston and District Electric Supply Co. Ltd.
Sidmouth		Sidmouth Urban District Council
Stevenage		?
Teignmouth		Teignmouth Undertaking J. & W. Purves
Totnes	31 May 1904	Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.

Operating data

Between 1905 and 1936, the company witnessed consistent expansion in both electricity consumption and financial returns.

1912 |186,207|| || 1918 |281,824 |7,130 |51,378 | 1919 |298,857 |6,932 |60,085 | 1920 |322,957 |7,897 |82,665 | 1921 |361,180 |7,361 |87,282 | 1922 |379,301 |6,187 |82,183 | 1927 ||11,017 || || 1928 ||11,627 || || 1929 || ||95,485 |43,289 1930 || ||96,029 |46,233 1931 || ||88,379 || 1935 || ||107,430 || 1936 || ||115,928 ||

Electric Supply Corporation growth of demand and revenue
Year	Equivalent lamps (8-candlepower)	Electricity sold (MWh)
1905	45,800	\|3,000
1906	72,000	\|7,200
1907	101,300	\|12,900
1908	125,800	\|17,000
1909	144,300	\|19,900
1911	172,202

Generating plant 1923

In 1923, the company managed multiple power stations across Scotland and England, each differing in generation capacity and fuel type.

Dollar |2 × 19 kW (gas) |225 V DC |33 |158 |31 |-49 |- Jedburgh |2 × 32 kW (gas) |225 & 450 V DC |57 |276 |74 |164 |- Melrose |2 × 32 kW (gas) |225 & 450 V DC |33 |287 |34 |487 |- St Andrews |1 × 50 kW (steam) |225 & 450 V DC |173 |1501 |289 |2,405 |

Electric Supply Corporation power stations in Scotland 1923
Power station	Generating equipment and fuel type	Electricity supply voltage(s)	Maximum load (kW)	Number of connections	Electricity delivered (MWh)	Surplus income (£)
Dalkeith	2 × 55 kW (gas), 1 × 75 kW (gas)	"225 & 450 V DC"	"75"	"411"	"127"	"677"

Additionally, the company operated Dumbarton power station under the authority of the local council.

Chelmsford 1 × 28 kW; various steam-driven units up to 320 kW 100-400 V AC;110 V DC 529 1655 564 10,191 Falmouth 1 × 50 kW; 2 ×120 kW (steam) 240 &480 V DC 206 997 229 2,850 Totnes 2 ×32 kW (gas) 225 &45 V DC 53 300 47.5 –88

Electric Supply Corporation power stations in England 1923
Power station	Generating equipment and fuel type	Electricity supply voltage(s)	Maximum load (kW)	Number of connections	Electricity delivered (MWh)	Surplus income (£)

Power stations at Exmouth and Hitchin were also managed on behalf of local authorities.

By the year 1930, the corporation had ownership or control over several subsidiaries, including Central Sussex Electricity Limited and Peterhead Electricity Company Limited. The Alton District Electricity Company was sold off in 1931.

By 1935, control was limited to three main undertakings: Dumbarton, Falmouth, and St Andrews, along with seven subsidiary companies.

In 1946, Falmouth remained the only power station directly operated by Electric Supply Corporation Limited, producing an output of 32.1 MWh with a load of 56 kW.

Dissolution

Following the Electricity Act 1947, the nationalization of the British electricity sector took effect on 1 April 1948. Consequently, Electric Supply Corporation Limited was wound up; its sole generating station at Falmouth was transferred to the Central Electricity Authority, while its other operations were incorporated into the South Western Electricity Board.