Wessex Electricity Company
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity generation and distribution |
| Predecessor | Various municipal and private electricity undertakings |
| Founded | July 29, 1927 |
| Defunct | March 31, 1948 |
| Fate | Nationalised in 1948 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | Southern and south-western England (Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset) |
Key people | Lord Meston (Chairman), Wade H. Hayes (Deputy Chairman), G. W. Spenser Hawes, F. H. James, Sir Thomas Royden (later Lord Royden), A. Winterbottom (all directors in 1939) |
| Products | Electricity generation and supply |
| Parent | Edmundsons Electricity Corporation |
The Wessex Electricity Company operated as a provider and generator of electricity in southern and south-western England from its inception in 1927 until it was dissolved following the nationalisation of the UK's electricity sector in 1948.
History
Formed on 29 July 1927, the Wessex Electricity Company functioned as a subsidiary under the umbrella of the Edmundsons Electricity Corporation, with the objective of creating a cohesive power supply network throughout southern England. Its establishment was authorised by the Wessex Electricity Act 1927 (17 & 18 Geo. 5. c. lxxii). The company broadened its operational powers and capital base through further legislative acts: the Wessex Electricity Act 1928 (18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. xc), the Wessex Electricity Act 1937 (1 Edw. 8 & 1 Geo. 6. c. lxviii), and the Wessex Electricity Act 1940 (3 & 4 Geo. 6. c. xii).
Constituent electricity undertakings
Wessex acquired multiple smaller municipal and private electricity providers, concentrating on upgrading, streamlining, and unifying their distribution systems. Throughout its operation, it held ownership of several undertakings along with their supply territories, including:
- Abingdon Electric Supply Company Limited
- Chipping Norton Electric Supply Company Limited
- Cirencester Electric Supply Company Limited
- Cookham and District Electricity Corporation Limited
- Crompton and Company Limited, Andover undertaking
- Downton near Salisbury, generating station
- Edmundsons Electricity Corporation, Frome undertaking
- Lymington Electric Light and Power Company Limited
- Oxford Electric Company Limited
- Petters Limited, Yeovil undertaking
- Thames Valley Electric Supply Company Limited
- Tisbury Electric Supply Company Limited
- Urban Electric Supply Company Limited, Newbury undertaking
- Wantage Electric Supply Company Limited
- West Wiltshire Electric Light and Power Company Limited
In 1931, the Oxford municipal authority acquired the Oxford undertaking, resulting in reduced tariffs but creating an isolated electricity zone within Wessex’s network. By 1938, Wessex shareholders advocated for reacquiring the Oxford Electricity Company to reintegrate this segment.
Supply area
By 1937, Wessex served a largely rural region encompassing approximately 3,826 square miles (9,909 km2), catering to around 750,000 residents. Its coverage spanned nearly all of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, as well as portions of Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset, and Dorset. Principal urban centres included Andover, Newbury, and Oxford. The company managed four distribution zones: North Oxfordshire; Mid Wessex; South Wessex No. 1; and South Wessex No. 2. Additionally, Wessex’s network was interconnected with other electricity providers such as the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company.
Expansion and investment
Growth in Wessex’s operations during the late 1930s is demonstrated by an increasing connected electricity load:
| Year | Connected load MW |
|---|---|
| 1934 | 88.137 |
| 1935 | 107.058 |
| 1936 | 137.151 |
| 1937 | 178.061 |
| 1938 | 231.077 |
The company reported profits of £253,222 in 1936; £251,881 in 1937; and £259,769 in 1938. In June 1939, it secured £1.5 million through debenture stock issuance to finance forthcoming projects.
Following World War II, Wessex planned an investment of £3 million aimed at extending electrical service to an additional 840 villages and hamlets within its jurisdiction.
Electricity generation
In 1946, the power stations operated by Wessex Electricity Company exhibited the following capacities and outputs:
| Power station | Power source | Electricity generated MWh | Electricity sent out MWh | Thermal efficiency | Maximum load kW | Load factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amesbury | Oil engine | 136.3 | 170.1 | – | 59 | 32.9 % |
| Hydro | 43.4 | |||||
| Andover | Oil engine | 29.6 | 28.5 | – | 207 | – |
| Chipping Norton | Oil engine | 60.1 | 49.8 | – | – | – |
| Downton, Wiltshire | Oil engine | 64.9 | 78.4 | – | 139 | – |
| Hydro | 19.1 | |||||
| Frome | Steam | 5,543.4 | 5,186.7 | 10.00 % | 2,738 | 21.8 % |
| Lymington power station | Oil engine | 126.0 | 124.2 | – | 518 | – |
| Newbury power station | Oil engine | 188.3 | 187.0 | – | 515 | – |
| Yeovil | Oil engine | 452.0 | 415.3 | – | 534 | – |
| '\'Total\ | '\'–\ | '\'6,663.1\ | '\'6,240.0\ | '\'–\ | '\'4,710\ | '\'–\ |
Company directors
The board of directors in 1939 comprised:
- Lord Meston (Chairman)
- Wade H. Hayes (Deputy Chairman)
- G. W. Spenser Hawes
- F. H. James
- Sir Thomas Royden (later Lord Royden)
- A. Winterbottom
The company’s registered office was situated at Thames House, Millbank, London.
Nationalisation
Following the enactment of the Electricity Act 1947, the Wessex Electricity Company ceased operations on 31 March 1948 as part of the nationalisation of the British electricity supply sector. Ownership of its generation facilities and transmission infrastructure was transferred to the British Electricity Authority, while responsibilities for local distribution and sales were assigned to the Southern Electricity Board (SEB). The SEB subsequently divided its distribution network into sub-regions including Oxford, Portsmouth, Salisbury, and Swindon.
See also
- List of pre-nationalisation UK electric power companies
- Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
- List of power stations in England