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. 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 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.
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. 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. On 1 April 1955, South West Scotland Electricity Board and South East Scotland Electricity Board were merged into the South of Scotland Electricity Board.
The board operated conventional coal-fired steam stations, hydro-electric stations and nuclear power stations.
The board was dissolved in 1991 as a consequence of the Electricity Act 1989 which privatised the British electricity industry.
Existing electricity suppliers taken over at nationalisation
The Electricity (Allocation of Undertakings to Area Boards) Order 1948 (SI 1948/484) transferred the electricity business of the following local authorities and private companies to the new boards effective 31 March 1948.
South West Scotland Electricity Board
Local authorities
Airdrie Corporation Ayrshire Electricity Board Coatbridge Corporation Dumbarton Corporation Dumfries Corporation Dumfriesshire County Council Dunbartonshire County Council Glasgow Corporation Greenock Corporation Hamilton Corporation Helensburgh Corporation Kirkcudbright County Council Lanarkshire County Council Motherwell and Wishaw Corporation Paisley Corporation
Private companies
Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company Electric Supply Corporation Galloway Water Power Company Lanarkshire Hydro Electric Power Company Skelmorlie Electric Supply Company Strathclyde Electricity Supply Company Wigtownshire Electricity Company
South East Scotland Electricity Board
Local authorities
Borrowstounness Corporation Denny and Dunipace Corporation Edinburgh Corporation Falkirk Corporation Kirkcaldy Corporation North Berwick Corporation Stirling Corporation West Lothian County Council
Private companies
Fife Electric Power Company Lothians Electric Power Company Musselburgh and District Electric Light and Traction Company Scottish Central Electric Power Company Scottish Midlands Electricity Supply Ltd. Scottish Southern Electric Supply Company
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.
The Board's headquarters were at Sauchiehall Street and Inverlair Avenue Glasgow.
Chairmen
South East Scotland Electricity Board 1948–1955: Sir Robert Norman Duke, KBE, CB, DSO, MCThe Electrical Review, vol. 157 (1955), p. 1255."Duke, Sir (Robert) Norman", Who Was Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2019). Retrieved 26 April 2020.
South West Scotland Electricity Board 1948–1955: Sir John Sydney Pickles, MIEEElectrical Times, vol. 141 (1962), p. 170.
South of Scotland Electricity Board 1955–1962: Sir John Sydney Pickles, MIEE"Chairman Retiring", Coventry Evening Telegraph, 27 January 1962, p. 9. 1962–1967: Sir Norman Randall Elliott, CBE"Elliott, Sir Norman (Randall)", Who Was Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2019). Retrieved 26 April 2020. 1967–1973: Charles Lewis Cuthbert Allen, FICE, FIEE"Allan, (Charles) Lewis (Cuthbert)", Who Was Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2019). Retrieved 26 April 2020. 1974–1977: Sir Francis Leonard Tombs, FREng (later Baron Tombs)"Tombs, Baron, (Francis Leonard Tombs)", Who Was Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2019). Retrieved 26 April 2020.North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board, Report and Accounts (1974), p. 8. 1977–1982: Donald Roy Berridge, CBE"Berridge, (Donald) Roy", Who Was Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2019). Retrieved 26 April 2020. 1982–1991: Sir Donald John Miller
Electricity generation Electricity generated by the board was from coal-fired steam power stations, hydro-electric stations, and from 1964 from nuclear power stations.
Steam power stations Outline details of the Steam power stations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board in 1958 are as follows: +Steam power stations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board (1958)Power stationLocationSteam raising capacity of boilers, 1000 lb/hrGenerating setsTotal generating capacity, MWSteam condenser, tower or water course, water flowrateBaronyCumnock Ayrshire3001 × 30 MW30Cooling tower 3 million gallons per hour (mgph)BonnybridgeStirlingshire6901 × 5 MW, 2 × 12.5 MW, 2 × 20 MW70Cooling tower 3.35 mgphBraeheadRenfew2,1004 × 50 MW200River ClydeClyde's MillCambuslang Glasgow2,1242 × 18.75 MW, 8 × 30 MW277.5Cooling tower 3.0 mgphDalmarnockGlasgow2,3602 × 18.75 MW, 2 × 50 MW, 1 × 60 MW197.5River ClydeDunfermlineFife1541 × 4 MW, 1× 6 MW, 1 × 3 MW13Townhill LochFalkirkStirlingshire851 × 1.5 MW, 2 × 3 MW7.5Cooling tower 0.4 mgphFergusliePaisley1442 × 5 MW, 2 × 3 MW16.25Cooling trough 0.76 mgphGalashielsSelkirkshire671 × 1.875 MW, 1 × 3.75 MW5.625Rivers Gala and Tweed The Board commissioned large coal-fired stations such as the 760 MW Kincardine power station (1958), the 1200 MW Inverkip (1967), the 1200 MW Cockenzie power station (1967), and the 2400 MW Longannet power station (1970).
Hydro-electric power stations Outline details of the Hydro-electric power stations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board in 1958 are as follows:
+Hydro-electric power stations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board (1958)Power stationLocationCommissionedHead of water, feetGenerating setsGenerating capacity, MWElectrical Output (1958), GWhBonningtonLanark Lanarkshire19371892 × 4.92 MW9.8455.478CarsfadCastle Douglas
Kirkcudbrightshire1936652 × 6 MW1218.234EarlstounCastle Douglas
Kirkcudbrightshire19362 × 6 MW1221.821GlenleeCastle Douglas
Kirkcudbrightshire19353802 × 12 MW2546.72KendoonCastle Douglas
Kirkcudbrightshire19361502 × 10.5 MW2144.467StonebyresLanark Lanarkshire972 × 2.84 MW5.6828.474TonglandTongland
Kirkcudbrightshire19353 × 11 MW33.2574.175
Nuclear power stations
The South of Scotland Electricity Board commissioned three nuclear power stations. +South of Scotland nuclear power stationsPower stationReactor typeOutputConstructionCommissionedClosedStatusHunterston AMagnox2 x 180 MWe19571964March 1990DecommissioningHunterston BAGR2 x 610 MWe19681976January 2022DefuellingTornessAGR2 x 682 MWe19801988–Operational
Transmission 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. 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. 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.
Distribution areas Electricity supply to customers was through eight Distribution Areas. The supply and other key data for 1956 were as follows: +South of Scotland Electricity Board distribution areas (1958)Distribution areaElectricity supplied to grid, MWhMax demand, MWElectricity sold 1956, GWhConsumersAyrshire558,761116,180409,298107,194Clyde1,021,442240,170848,830194,048Dumfries and Galloway249,98057,820195,30946,774Edinburgh and Borders1,074,638240,000858,571242,449Fife463,36986,550337,32198,189Glasgow1,232,475301,8801,034,764265,802Lanarkshire1,334,684278,2501,182601216096Stirling608,293109,200432,11995,807
Operating data 1949 to 1989 Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity Board is summarised in the table. +Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity BoardYearTotal output capacity, MWMaximum demand, MWCustomers, thousandsEmployeesCapital expenditure, £ millionNet profit, £ million194988595689452.80.78719591656175013421275827.40.09719693837357414781512161.00.63219766082392515501394170.22.72019777183430715641367255.222.28619787572422815691363242.75.61819797418449615761373052.59.53219807826422515851365864.70.099198178264106195613624128.516.531198263164733160513005287.417.231198363564009161412720316.544.101198461884052162812307407.542.567198562504154164212019376.0–11.94198662304237165512172368.643.618198761604406166912339364.332.225198855184125168212173224.712.69198967684026170012008158.31.424
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.
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.
The remainder of the assets were privatised as ScottishPower in 1991 and the South of Scotland Electricity Board was dissolved.
See also Energy policy of the United Kingdom Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom Companies merged into South East Scotland Electricity Board Companies merged into South West Scotland Electricity Board North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board
References
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)