Molly Ayala
The head of an electricity board is typically referred to as the chairman. There are various electricity boards around the world, each with its own chairman or head. For example, the Central Electricity Board in the United Kingdom was established in 1927 and had four chairmen between 1927 and 1948: Sir Andrew Duncan, Sir Archibald Page, Harold Hobson, and Sir Johnstone Wright. On the other hand, the Kerala State Electricity Board in India, established in 1957, was initially headed by chairman K. P. Sreedhara Kurup. The Ceylon Electricity Board in Sri Lanka, established in 1969, has had issues with power generation and supply but does not appear to have a specific chairman or head. In New Zealand, the Electricity Authority is led by Chief Executive Sarah Gillies, who was appointed in December 2022. Each electricity board operates within its own geographical jurisdiction and is subject to the relevant laws and regulations of that region.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Electricity Board | British Electricity Authority (BEA) |
| Location of Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Year of Establishment | 1947 |
| Responsible for | Electricity supply, distribution, and sales to customers |
| Composition of Board | Chairman and 4-7 members appointed by Minister of Fuel and Power |
| Area Boards | 14 |
| Establishment of Area Boards | 1 January 1948 |
| Area Board Composition | Chairman and 5-7 members appointed by Minister |
| Consultative Council | Established for each Area Board |
| Council Composition | 20-30 members appointed by Minister |
| Council Representation | Agriculture, commerce, industry, labour, and consumer interests |
| Council Duty | Consider matters affecting electricity distribution, tariffs, and services |
| Former Chairmen | Sir Andrew Duncan, Sir Archibald Page, Harold Hobson, Sir Johnstone Wright |
| Former Members | Sir John Hacking, Ernest Bussey, Dame Caroline Haslett, Sir William Walker, Tom Johnston |
| Related Boards | Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Central Electricity Board (CEB UK) |
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What You'll Learn
The UK Central Electricity Board
The creation of the CEB was proposed in 1925 by a committee chaired by Lord Weir, who aimed to link the UK's most efficient power stations with consumers via a 'national gridiron'. At the time, the electricity industry in the UK was highly fragmented, consisting of over 600 electricity supply companies and local authority undertakings, with different areas operating at different voltages and frequencies.
The CEB's first chairman was Sir Andrew Duncan, who served from 1927 to 1935. Subsequently, the CEB had three other chairmen until 1948: Sir Archibald Page (1935-1944), Harold Hobson (1944-1946), and Sir Johnstone Wright (1947-1948). The CEB also had part-time members, including businessmen and former chairmen of electricity authorities.
The CEB played a crucial role in establishing the UK's first synchronised AC grid, which operated at 132 kilovolts and 50 Hertz. By 1933, this grid consisted of local grids with emergency interlinks, covering most of England. In 1938, it began operating as a national system, known as the National Grid. Following the completion of the National Grid, the CEB's role shifted from planning and construction to operating and managing the regional grid systems.
During World War II, the CEB proposed a programme to increase generating capacity to mitigate war risks and meet the growing demand associated with the development of munitions factories. This included the installation of new plants at existing and new stations, such as Earley and Castle Meads, Gloucester. The CEB also oversaw the standardisation of frequency, which was necessary for the effective interconnection of the national system, fixing the national standard at 50 cycles per second.
In 1947, the Electricity Act established area electricity boards responsible for electricity distribution and sales to customers. These area boards consisted of a chairman and other members appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power. The British Electricity Authority, established in 1947, took over the operations of the CEB and other power companies, forming a central authority with 14 area boards.
In 1954, the British Electricity Authority was replaced by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for England and Wales, while the South of Scotland Area Boards merged to form the South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB). In 1957, the Electricity Act dissolved the CEA and established the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and the Electricity Council. The CEGB took on the responsibilities of generation and transmission, while the Electricity Council oversaw the industry.
The CEGB led advancements in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of power plants and transmission systems, significantly increasing electricity generation capacity in the UK. It owned and operated numerous public supply power stations between 1958 and 1990. The CEGB continued to exist until 2001, when electricity privatisation led to its dissolution and the creation of new companies.
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Roles and responsibilities
The head of an electricity board and their roles and responsibilities can vary depending on the region and the specific board in question. Here are some examples:
United Kingdom Central Electricity Board (CEB)
The UK CEB was established by the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926. It was responsible for supplying electricity to authorised electricity undertakers, determining which power stations would generate electricity, providing main transmission lines, and standardising generating frequency. The board's first chairman was Sir Andrew Duncan, who served from 1927 to 1935. Subsequent chairmen included Sir Archibald Page (1935-1944), Harold Hobson (1944-1946), and Sir Johnstone Wright (1947-1948). The board also included part-time members appointed by the Minister of Transport, such as Sir James Lithgow and Sir Duncan Watson.
Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB)
The KSEB is an Indian public sector undertaking under the Government of Kerala, established in 1957. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity within the state. The first governing body was headed by chairman K P Sreedhara Kaymal. Since 2008, the functions and assets of the KSEB have been transferred to the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited, an independent company under the Companies Act 1956. The new company operates various power generation projects, including hydro-electric, solar, and wind energy sources.
Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)
The CEB was established in Sri Lanka by the CEB Act No. 17 of 1969. It was responsible for developing and maintaining an efficient and economical system of electricity supply. The CEB owns several power stations, including the Norocholai Coal Power Station, and has invested in renewable energy sources such as wind farms. However, the CEB has faced challenges, including power outages, financial losses, and increasing tariffs. In 2024, the CEB was dissolved and replaced by 12 successor entities under the new Electricity Act.
New Zealand Electricity Authority
The Electricity Authority in New Zealand is led by a board of members with diverse expertise and backgrounds. The Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority is Sarah Gillies, a lawyer with experience in legal, monitoring, and compliance matters. Other board members include Cristiano, who has a PhD in Electrical Engineering and experience in the energy sector, and Erik, a specialist in electricity market arrangements and regulatory matters. The board has established several committees, including an Audit and Finance Committee, to advise and govern the authority's operations.
British Electricity Authority (BEA)
The BEA was established in 1947 by the Electricity Act and was responsible for electricity supply. It consisted of a chairman and other members appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power. The BEA included area boards, each with its own chairman and members responsible for the distribution of electricity and sales to customers. The BEA's financial and operational performance was overseen by councils consisting of appointed representatives from local authorities, agriculture, commerce, and other sectors.
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Chairmen
The head of an electricity board is often referred to as the chairman.
United Kingdom Central Electricity Board (CEB)
The CEB was established by the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926. It was responsible for supplying electricity to authorised electricity undertakers and determining which power stations would generate electricity for the board. The board's first chairman was Andrew Duncan, and there were four chairmen between 1927 and 1948:
- Sir Andrew Duncan (1927-1935)
- Sir Archibald Page (1935-1944)
- Harold Hobson (1944-1946)
- Sir Johnstone Wright (1947-1948)
British Electricity Authority (BEA)
The BEA was established on 15 August 1947 by the Electricity Act 1947. It comprised a chairman and four to six other members appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power. The appointment of the first chairman was made in August 1947, and the BEA became responsible for electricity supply on 1 April 1948.
Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB)
The KSEB is an Indian public sector undertaking under the Government of Kerala that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity in the state. It was established in 1957 and the first governing body was headed by chairman K P Sreedhara Kaymal. The KSEB was converted to Kerala State Electricity Board Limited in 2014, and the original KSEB was dissolved.
Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)
The CEB was established by the CEB Act No. 17 of 1969 and was responsible for developing and maintaining an efficient and economical system of electricity supply in Sri Lanka. It was dissolved and replaced by 12 successor entities under the 2024 Electricity Act.
Electricity Authority of New Zealand
The Electricity Authority of New Zealand is led by Chief Executive Sarah Gillies, who was appointed in December 2022. She previously served as the Authority's General Manager Legal, Monitoring, and Compliance. The board includes Erik, a specialist in the electricity market and energy sector regulatory, and Lana, who has degrees in engineering and finance.
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Area boards
The British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established by the Electricity Act 1947. It was comprised of a chairman and four to six other members appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power. The BEA included four members who were chairmen of an area electricity board, and one member who was chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. The 14 area boards were formally established on 1 January 1948, and they became responsible for electricity supply on 1 April 1948.
The area boards were responsible for the distribution of electricity and sales to customers. They were each made up of a chairman and five to seven other members appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power after consultation with the central authority. One member held the office of chairman of the consultative council.
The councils consisted of between 20 and 30 persons appointed by the minister. The majority of these were appointed from a panel of members of local authorities, while the remainder represented agriculture, commerce, industry, labour, and the general interests of consumers of electricity in the area. The chairman of each consultative council was a member of the area electricity board.
The appointment of chairmen and members of the BEA and the area boards were made in August 1947. The headquarters of the BEA were initially at British Electricity House, Great Portland Street, London.
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The Ceylon Electricity Board
The CEB is headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is responsible for generating, transmitting, and distributing electrical energy to all consumer categories. It also has the authority to acquire assets, including human resources, following approved procedures. The organisation aims to make optimal use of its resources by employing pragmatic and proven managerial methods.
Hydropower is the oldest and most relied-upon source of electricity generation for the CEB, accounting for approximately 42% of the total available grid capacity in December 2014. However, due to resource exhaustion, hydropower generation has been on the decline. In 2014, the CEB's Media Spokesperson, Senajith Dassanayake, confirmed that hydropower generation had dropped to 37%, resulting in a need to fulfil 60% of the country's electricity demands through thermal energy.
The CEB has also ventured into other power generation methods, such as coal and wind energy. In 2011, the organisation opened the Puttalam Lakvijaya coal power plant, and in the same year, the $1.35 billion Norochcholai Power Station was commissioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The CEB also launched Sri Lanka's largest wind farm, Thambapavani, which was added to the national grid and generates over 100 MW of power.
Despite its efforts in power generation, the CEB has faced financial challenges. In 2011, it incurred losses of 25.5 billion rupees, and by 2012, it had accumulated debts of 121 billion rupees with petroleum distributors and independent power producers. The CEB responded by increasing power tariffs, but this did not prevent further losses in subsequent years.
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Frequently asked questions
The first chairman of the UK Central Electricity Board was Sir Andrew Duncan, from 1927 to 1935. There were four chairmen of the board between 1927 and 1948.
The Ceylon Electricity Board was dissolved and replaced by 12 successor entities under the 2024 Electricity Act. Therefore, it no longer has a single head, but rather 12 separate leaders.
The Kerala State Electricity Board was constituted by the Government of Kerala in 1957 and was headed by chairman K P Sreedhara Kaymal. The original KSEB was dissolved and its assets and liabilities were transferred to the government and then to the newly formed company KSEB Limited.
