Electric lighting. The supply of electricity for light-ing is facilitated and regulated by the (English) Electric Lighting Act, 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. 56). Under this Act powers may be obtained either (1) by license from the Board of Trade; or (2) by Provisional Order of the Board of Trade, needing confirmation by special Act of Parliament; or (3) by special Act of Parliament. The (English) Electric Lighting Clauses Act, 1899 (62 & 63 Vict. c. 19), has incorporated in one Act the usual clauses of provisional orders and special Acts, and directed that such clauses are to apply to every undertaking under the Electric Lighting Acts except so far as expressly varied. These licenses and orders may either be granted to the local authorities themselves or, with their consent, to independent contractors. Licenses continue in force for any period not exceeding seven years, but are renewable. By s. 27 of the (English) 1882 Act an undertaking autho-rized by provisional order or special Act may be purchased compulsorily by the local authority within six months after the expiration of 21 years--a period extended to 42 years by the (English) Electric Lighting Act, 1888, s. 2.
Large powers of supervision are vested in the Board of Trade. By s. 5 that Board may frame rules as to notices, etc., on application for licenses and pro-visional orders; and the rules now in force provide (inter alia) that a local authority is to have a preference over private contractors. By s. 6 the Board may insert in a license or order such provisions as they think proper in addition to the prices to be charged, the enforcement of a supply of the light, and the securing the safety of the public from personal injury. The Electric Lighting Act, 1909 (9 Edw. 7, c. 34), gives power to acquire land compulsorily for generating stations, and also contains other important provisions, including (s. 19) exempted of agreements from stamp duty.
These Acts have been amended subsequently and may be cited as the (English) Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882-1933. The (English) Act of 1919, as amended by the Act of 1922, provided for the appointment of Electricity Commissioners for promoting, regulating and supervising the supply of electricity. The Act of 1926 created the Central Electricity Board, a non-profit corporation charged with supplying either directly or indirectly to authorized undertakers, but they are not empowered to operate generating stations, but see ss. 5 and 6. The (English) Act of 1933 amended the 1919 and 1922 Acts.
The (English) Electricity Supply (Meters) Act, 1936 (26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8, c. 20), provides for the better measurement of electricity supplied by authorized undertakers.
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