Heavy Current Electricity in the United Kingdom

Heavy Current Electricity in the United Kingdom: History and Development focuses on the history and development of the electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom. The laws passed by Parliament, including those governing gas or other public companies supplying light by electricity, are considered, along with the nationalization of the electric power industry. This book consists of six chapters and opens with a discussion on Michael Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction that paved the way for the development of electric power, along with some major engineering achievements that contributed to advances in electricity generation. The next chapter looks at some of the laws enacted in Britain to regulate the use of electricity, including the Public Health Act of 1875 and the Gas Act of 1847. The debate over the merits of direct current vs. alternating current is also examined, together with attempts to remove legislative restrictions regarding the supply of electricity; Thomas Edison's establishment of Electric Light Company in America; and the emergence of the British manufacturing industry. The final chapter is devoted to the nationalization of the British electricity industry and the role played by the Central Electricity Board. This monograph will be of interest to energy policymakers as well as those in the electricity industry.