SWEB Energy
{{Short description|British electricity supplier (1947–1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox company
| former_name = South Western Electricity Board
| parent = {{ubl|Southern Company (1995-1999)|Western Power Distribution (1999)|EDF Energy (from 1999)}}
}}
SWEB Energy, formerly South Western Electricity Board (SWEB) was a British state-owned regional electricity company operating in South West England which was privatised by the Thatcher government. Although sold many times, the 'SWEB' brand name survived until 2006.
The distribution network operator for the former SWEB area is now National Grid Electricity Distribution. The incumbent electricity retail company is EDF Energy.
South Western Electricity Board (SWEB)
File:Electricity House, Colston Avenue, Bristol.png, The Centre, Bristol{{cite web |url=https://manchesterhistory.net/architecture/1930/electricityhouse.html |title=Electricity House, Bristol, UK |publisher=Manchester History |work=Different Architecture for Different Times |access-date=9 June 2020}}]]
The board was responsible for the purchase of electricity from the electricity generator (the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1958) and its distribution and sale of electricity to customers. The key people on the board were: Chairman A.N. Irens (1964, 1967), Deputy Chairman S.F.C. Whitmore (1964, 1967), and full-time member C.E. Knight (1964, 1967).Electricity Council Publicity brochures 1964 and 1967
The total number of customers supplied by the board over its operational life was:{{Cite book|last=Electricity Council|title=Handbook of Electricity Supply Statistics 1979|publisher=The Electricity Council|year=1980|isbn=0851880762|location=London|pages=58 63}}{{Cite book|last=Electricity Council|title=Handbook of Electricity Supply Statistics 1989|publisher=The Electricity Council|year=1990|isbn=085188122X|location=London|pages=51 56}}
| class="wikitable"
|+Number of SWEB customers 1949–89 !Year !1948/9 !1960/1 !1965/6 !1970/1 !1975/6 !1978/9 !1980/1 !1985/6 !1987/8 !1988/9 |
| No. of customers, 1000s
|506 |789 |890 |960 |1040 |1084 |1107 |1169 |1206 |1227 |
|---|
The amount of electricity, in GWh, sold by South Western Electricity Board was:
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"x": 1966,
"y": 5704
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"x": 1967,
"y": 6124
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"x": 1968,
"y": 6797
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"x": 1969,
"y": 7309
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"x": 1970,
"y": 7755
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"x": 1971,
"y": 8325
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{
"x": 1972,
"y": 9030
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"x": 1976,
"y": 9441
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"x": 1978,
"y": 9816
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"x": 1979,
"y": 10206
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"x": 1980,
"y": 10280
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"x": 1981,
"y": 10100
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"x": 1982,
"y": 10817
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"y": 11508
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"y": 11703
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"y": 11950
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Company timeline
In 1990, SWEB Energy was formed from the privatisation of the South Western Electricity Board.[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:XLRCnkZwzowJ:www.ifs.org.uk/fs/articles/0036a.pdf+%22sweb+privatised+in%22&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjfy17gcVdKd_FT6NzNZNxGZlRQjQqbm7b1tzfM5xz1DT2PPBFTk1g3AL18Y_poB1aVNbv4LTPNNi_7OkpufUI8vbsdzU8nZodBbQZTpdenHyIIfHKhp-y2e2C8SJ0xBjzy-VmR&sig=AHIEtbT_AkTPJaX4-nhUWG4JqNZWBXmx6w|The Restructuring and Privatisation of Electricity Distribution and Supply Businesses in England and Wales: A Social Cost–Benefit Analysis]
In 1995, SWEB Energy was bought by the American utility Southern Company.
In 1999, the company was bought by the PPL Corporation distribution company Western Power Distribution and was split into two. Western Power itself (officially known as WPD South West) dealt with the local distribution, metering and substations, and the 'SWEB' brand name was continued as a retail energy utility.
In June 1999, SWEB was sold to French-owned EDF Energy.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/french-beat-british-energy-again-with-pounds-160m-sweb-deal-1099624.html French beat British Energy again with £160m Sweb deal], The Independent, Jun.12.1999 The acquisition was authorised by the European Commission in Jul.1999.[http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-99-544_en.htm Commission clears acquisition of SWEB (United Kingdom) by EdF (France)], European Commission, Press Release, Jul.20.1999 EDF discontinued the 'SWEB' brand name on 5 June 2006.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004559/http://www.fuelmix.co.uk/edf_energy_fuel_mix_2006.htm EDF Energy's Fuel Mix for 2006]
- [http://www.swehs.co.uk/tactive/sparkhome.php HISTELEC NEWS], South Western Electricity Historical Society documents
{{Electricity generation in South West England}}
{{Area Electricity Board}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Electric power companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Former nationalised industries of the United Kingdom