SWEB Energy

British electricity supplier (1947–1993)

SWEB EnergyFormerly| South Western Electricity Board

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Founded| 14 August 1947
Defunct| 10 December 1993
Parent|

* 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)

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Former headquarters of the board, Electricity House, The Centre, Bristol[1]

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).[2]

The total number of customers supplied by the board over its operational life was:[3][4]

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

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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:[3][4]

This graph was using the legacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to the new Chart extension.

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## Company timeline

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In 1990, SWEB Energy was formed from the privatisation of the South Western Electricity Board.[5]

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.[6] The acquisition was authorised by the European Commission in Jul.1999.[7] EDF discontinued the 'SWEB' brand name on 5 June 2006.

## References

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1. ^ "Electricity House, Bristol, UK". Different Architecture for Different Times. Manchester History. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
2. ^ Electricity Council Publicity brochures 1964 and 1967
3. ^ a b Electricity Council (1980). Handbook of Electricity Supply Statistics 1979. London: The Electricity Council. pp. 58 63. ISBN 0851880762.
4. ^ a b Electricity Council (1990). Handbook of Electricity Supply Statistics 1989. London: The Electricity Council. pp. 51 56. ISBN 085188122X.
5. ^ Restructuring and Privatisation of Electricity Distribution and Supply Businesses in England and Wales: A Social Cost–Benefit Analysis
6. ^ French beat British Energy again with £160m Sweb deal, The Independent, Jun.12.1999
7. ^ Commission clears acquisition of SWEB (United Kingdom) by EdF (France), European Commission, Press Release, Jul.20.1999

## External links

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* EDF Energy's Fuel Mix for 2006
* HISTELEC NEWS, South Western Electricity Historical Society documents

* v
* t
* e

Electricity generation in South West England

Power stations|

| Coal|

| Closed|

* Carn Brea
* Castle Meads
* East Yelland
* Exeter
* Hayle
* Lydney
* Newton Abbot
* Plymouth
* Poole
* Portishead A + B

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Gas|

| Active|

* Chickerell
* Chippenham
* Cranbrook
* Indian Queens
* Langage
* Seabank

|

Closed|

* Princetown

Geothermal|

| Closed|

* Rosemanowes Quarry

|

Future|

* United Downs

Tidal|

| Proposed|

* Severn Barrage

|

Nuclear|

| Closed|

* Berkeley
* Hinkley Point A \+ B
* Oldbury
* Winfrith

|

Future|

* Hinkley Point C

Oil|

| Closed|

* Portishead B

|

Wave|

| Active|

* Wave Hub

|

Wind|

| Active|

* Carland Cross
* Cold Northcott
* Delabole
* Den Brook
* Forrest Moor
* Goonhilly Downs

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Organisations|

* Ecogen
* Ecotricity
* Geothermal Engineering
* Good Energy
* Infralec
* Marine Current Turbines
* Mendip Power Group
* Npower
* Nuclear Electric
* Ovo Energy
* Pre-nationalisation electric power companies
* South Somerset Hydropower Group
* SWEB Energy
* Western Power Distribution
* Wind Prospect

* v
* t
* e

Former area electricity boards from 1948

1. North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board
2. South West Scotland Electricity Board
3. South East Scotland Electricity Board (these two merged in 1955 to form the South of Scotland Electricity Board)
4. North Western Electricity Board
5. North Eastern Electricity Board
6. Yorkshire Electricity Board
7. Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board
8. East Midlands Electricity Board
9. South Wales Electricity Board
10. Midlands Electricity Board
11. Eastern Electricity Board
12. South Western Electricity Board
13. Southern Electricity Board
14. London Electricity Board
15. South Eastern Electricity Board

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

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