The South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB) generated, transmitted and distributed electricity throughout the south of Scotland, including the former regions of Strathclyde, Lothian, Fife, Central, Borders and Dumfries and Galloway and a few towns in northern England. It operated from 1955 to 1991.
History
As established by the Electricity Act 1947 there were two British Electricity Authority divisions responsible for the generation of electricity in Scotland based in Glasgow and Edinburgh.[1] There were also two area boards for distribution of electricity responsible to the British Electricity Authority and to the Minister of Fuel and Power. It was thought by the industry and government[2] that a single board for the South of Scotland would be better placed to cover the whole area and would provide administrative advantages such as simplification. The South of Scotland would then be in line with the North of Scotland which was covered by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board for both the generation and distribution of electricity. The new arrangement would provide a more efficient service and better match Scotland's needs.[3][2]
The Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954 transferred to the Secretary of State for Scotland the responsibility for electricity matters in Scotland and established the South of Scotland Electricity Board, a new public authority for the generation and distribution of electricity in the South of Scotland.[3] Scotland was given control of its own electricity undertakings, and the responsibility for adequate performance became the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland.[3][2] On 1 April 1955, South West Scotland Electricity Board and South East Scotland Electricity Board were merged into the South of Scotland Electricity Board.[4]
The board operated conventional coal-fired steam stations, hydro-electric stations and nuclear power stations.[1]
The board was dissolved in 1991 as a consequence of the Electricity Act 1989 which privatised the British electricity industry.[5]
Constitution
The 1954 Act specified the management board was to comprise a chairman and not less than four and not more than eight members. All appointments to the board were to be made by the Secretary of State for Scotland.[1]
The Board's headquarters were at Sauchiehall Street and Inverlair Avenue Glasgow.[1]
The supply of electricity was by high voltage cables. In 1958 there were 170 miles of transmission line operating at 275 kV and 841 miles at 132 kV.[1] They connected 20 power stations and 44 transforming stations. There were connections to the North of Scotland grid system and to England via the 275 kV Clyde’s Mill to Carlisle line.[1] By April 1989 there were 526 km of 400 kV lines; 1,565 km of 275 kV lines; 1,642 km of 132 kV lines; and 80,256 km of less than 132 kV lines.[19]
Distribution areas
Electricity supply to customers was through eight Distribution Areas. The supply and other key data for 1956 were as follows:[16][1]
South of Scotland Electricity Board distribution areas (1958)
Distribution area
Electricity supplied to grid, MWh
Max demand, MW
Electricity sold 1956, GWh
Consumers
Ayrshire
558,761
116,180
409,298
107,194
Clyde
1,021,442
240,170
848,830
194,048
Dumfries and Galloway
249,980
57,820
195,309
46,774
Edinburgh and Borders
1,074,638
240,000
858,571
242,449
Fife
463,369
86,550
337,321
98,189
Glasgow
1,232,475
301,880
1,034,764
265,802
Lanarkshire
1,334,684
278,250
1,182601
216096
Stirling
608,293
109,200
432,119
95,807
Operating data 1949 to 1989
Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity Board is summarised in the table.[19]
Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity Board
Year
Total output capacity, MW
Maximum demand, MW
Customers, thousands
Employees
Capital expenditure, £ million
Net profit, £ million
1949
885
956
8945
2.8
0.787
1959
1656
1750
1342
12758
27.4
0.097
1969
3837
3574
1478
15121
61.0
0.632
1976
6082
3925
1550
13941
70.2
2.720
1977
7183
4307
1564
13672
55.2
22.286
1978
7572
4228
1569
13632
42.7
5.618
1979
7418
4496
1576
13730
52.5
9.532
1980
7826
4225
1585
13658
64.7
0.099
1981
7826
4106
1956
13624
128.5
16.531
1982
6316
4733
1605
13005
287.4
17.231
1983
6356
4009
1614
12720
316.5
44.101
1984
6188
4052
1628
12307
407.5
42.567
1985
6250
4154
1642
12019
376.0
–11.94
1986
6230
4237
1655
12172
368.6
43.618
1987
6160
4406
1669
12339
364.3
32.225
1988
5518
4125
1682
12173
224.7
12.69
1989
6768
4026
1700
12008
158.3
1.424
The amount of electricity supplied by the board, in GWh, is shown on the graph.[19]
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Dissolution
As a consequence of the Electricity Act 1989, which privatised the British electricity industry, the nuclear assets of the South of Scotland Electricity Board were transferred to Scottish Nuclear.[5]
In January 1990 a reactor at the Hunterston A Magnox Power Station was shut down. The second reactor was shut down on 31 March 1990, the day before the nuclear generation assets (Hunterston A, Hunterston B and Torness Power Stations) were vested with Scottish Nuclear.[5]
The remainder of the assets were privatised as ScottishPower in 1991 and the South of Scotland Electricity Board was dissolved.[5]
^ abcElectricity Council (1989). Handbook of Electricity Supply Statistics. London: Electricity Council. pp. 90–93. ISBN085188122X.
Further reading
Leslie Hannah, Engineers, Managers and Politicians: The First Fifteen Years of Nationalised Electricity Supply in Britain (London and Basingstoke: Macmillan for The Electricity Council, 1982).
External links
THE FRASERS' RETURN (1963) (archive film sponsored by the South of Scotland Electricity Board - from the National Library of Scotland: SCOTTISH SCREEN ARCHIVE)