The British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established in 1948 with the nationalisation of the UK's electricity supply industry, as a result of the Electricity Act 1947. The BEA took over the operations of over 600 small power companies to form 14 area boards. The new area boards were:
- East Midlands Electricity Board (EMEB)
- Eastern Electricity Board (EEB)
- London Electricity Board (LEB)
- Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB)
- Midlands Electricity Board (MEB)
- North Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB)
- North Western Electricity Board (NWEB)
- South East Scotland Electricity Board
- South Eastern Electricity Board (SEEBOARD)
- South Wales Electricity Board (SWALEC)
- South West Scotland Electricity Board
- South Western Electricity Board (SWEB)
- Southern Electricity Board (SEB)
- Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB)
As a result of the Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954, and partly to end confusion with the other BEA (British European Airways), the British Electricity Authority was replaced on 1 April 1955 by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). At the same time, the two Scottish Area Boards were merged into the South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB).
See also
- Timeline of the UK electricity supply industry
- List of pre-nationalisation UK electric power companies
- Regional Electricity Companies
