London Electricity Board

The London Electricity Board, commonly abbreviated as LEB, was the public-sector electricity utility responsible for supplying and distributing electricity across London from the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948 until the sector’s privatisation in 1990. It served domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers within its designated London area and formed part of the regional electricity board system established under the Electricity Act 1947. The board began operations on 1 April 1948. Its creation brought together the electricity undertakings of local authorities and private companies operating in the London area. As an area electricity board, LEB was principally concerned with the distribution and retail supply of electricity rather than national generation. Its public-facing activities extended beyond network operation: it maintained local showrooms, sold household electrical appliances, and made appliances available for hire or hire-purchase. Electricity bills could also be paid through these local facilities. LEB developed a recognisable public identity around the initials “LEB,” which appeared in a green-and-blue logo. The organisation became a familiar part of everyday life in London through its billing offices, customer service operations, electrical-appliance retailing, and responsibility for the local electricity network. Its customer base included households as well as businesses and industrial users, although the reference material does not provide a verified customer total. The board was transformed by the Electricity Act 1989 and the privatisation of the regional electricity boards. In 1990, LEB became London Electricity plc. Unlike the pre-privatisation statutory board, the new company operated as a private commercial enterprise and was listed on the London Stock Exchange. London Electricity plc was at one point a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The change marked the end of LEB as a public electricity board while preserving the underlying London distribution business in successor corporate forms. In 1996, London Electricity was acquired by Entergy, a United States energy company. Électricité de France acquired the business in November 1998. Under EDF ownership, the London, South Eastern, and Eastern distribution businesses were operated under the EDF Energy Networks name. In 2010, EDF sold these distribution assets to Hong Kong-based investors, and the businesses were brought together under the UK Power Networks name. These transactions mean that the original LEB entity and identity no longer operate as an independent electricity company, although parts of the network business continued through successor organisations. People associated with the organisation included John Major, who later became prime minister of the United Kingdom, and George Carey, who later served as archbishop of Canterbury. The board’s chairmen included Henry John Randall, David Blair Irving, Wilfrid David Drysdale Fenton, Owen Francis, Alan Plumpton, David G. Jefferies, and John Wilson. The London Electricity Board is therefore best understood as a historically important regional public utility and predecessor to later private electricity-network businesses in London, rather than as a current consumer-facing brand.

The London Electricity Board was established on 1 April 1948 as part of the post-war nationalisation of electricity in Great Britain. The Electricity Act 1947 created a system of regional electricity boards, and LEB became the statutory organisation responsible for electricity supply and distribution in the London area. Its creation consolidated electricity undertakings previously operated by local authorities and private companies. The board’s remit covered domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers. LEB operated as a regional public utility for more than four decades. Its principal function was to distribute electricity through the London network and provide supply services to customers. It also maintained a direct retail relationship with consumers. Local showrooms sold domestic electrical appliances and offered appliances for hire or hire-purchase, while electricity bills could be paid through the same local customer facilities. The organisation used the initials LEB in a green-and-blue logo, giving the board a distinct public identity. The board was led by a sequence of chairmen. Henry John Randall served from 1948 to 1956, followed by David Blair Irving from 1956 to 1968, Wilfrid David Drysdale Fenton from 1968 to 1972, Owen Francis from 1972 to 1976, Alan Plumpton from 1976 to 1981, David G. Jefferies from 1981 to 1986, and John Wilson from 1986 to 1990. The business also became associated with several notable people who worked for it, including John Major, later prime minister of the United Kingdom, and George Carey, later archbishop of Canterbury. The structure of the British electricity industry changed under the Electricity Act 1989. In 1990, the public board was privatised and its business became London Electricity plc. The successor company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was at one time included in the FTSE 100 Index. This transition ended the LEB period as a state-owned statutory board, although the London electricity distribution operation continued under a succession of private owners. Entergy acquired London Electricity in 1996. In November 1998, Électricité de France acquired the business. EDF operated the London company alongside the South Eastern and Eastern distribution businesses, using the EDF Energy Networks name. In 2010, EDF sold these distribution assets to Hong Kong-based investors. The businesses were subsequently combined under the UK Power Networks name. Consequently, London Electricity Board is now a defunct historical entity and brand, while successor network operations continue to serve London under a different corporate structure and identity.

• 2010

  Transfer into UK Power Networks

  [1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  EDF sold the relevant regional distribution businesses, which subsequently operated under the UK Power Networks name.

• 1998

  Acquisition by Électricité de France

  [1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  EDF acquired London Electricity in November 1998.

• 1996

  Acquisition by Entergy

  [1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  Entergy acquired the London electricity business.

• 1990

  Privatisation as London Electricity plc

  [1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  The board was privatised under the Electricity Act 1989 and became London Electricity plc.

• 1948

  London Electricity Board begins operations

  [1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  LEB was formed on 1 April 1948 under the nationalised British electricity system created by the Electricity Act 1947.

Regional public electricity supplier and distribution utility for London before privatisation; later the London Electricity plc commercial successor.

• Utility service · 1948

  Electricity supply

  LEB supplied electricity to households, commercial premises, and industrial consumers in its London service area. This was the organisation’s primary customer-facing utility service before the business was privatised.

• Electricity network · 1948

  Electricity distribution

  The board operated the regional electricity distribution function for London, connecting customers to the electricity system and managing the local network within its statutory area.

• Appliance retail and finance

  Domestic electrical appliances

  Through local showrooms, LEB sold domestic electrical appliances and made them available through hire and hire-purchase arrangements. These services complemented its electricity-supply relationship with residential customers.

• 2010

  Sale of EDF regional distribution businessesM&A

  Background

  EDF reorganised its UK electricity distribution holdings after owning the London, South Eastern, and Eastern businesses.

  Action taken

  EDF sold the distribution businesses to Hong Kong-based investors, after which they operated under the UK Power Networks name.

  Aftermath

  The London successor network business continued under UK Power Networks rather than the LEB or London Electricity brand.

  Source

• 1998

  Sale to Électricité de FranceM&A

  Background

  The London electricity distribution business was part of the post-privatisation consolidation of Britain’s regional electricity companies.

  Action taken

  Électricité de France acquired London Electricity in November 1998.

  Aftermath

  The London business was operated alongside EDF’s South Eastern and Eastern distribution companies under EDF Energy Networks.

  Source

• 1996

  Sale to EntergyM&A

  Background

  Following the electricity industry’s privatisation, London Electricity plc became available for acquisition by private-sector energy companies.

  Action taken

  Entergy acquired the London electricity business.

  Aftermath

  The business subsequently changed ownership again when EDF acquired it in 1998.

  Source

• 1990

  Conversion from public board to private electricity companyStrategy

  Background

  The Electricity Act 1989 reorganised and privatised the regional electricity-board system in Great Britain.

  Action taken

  LEB became London Electricity plc, a commercial company whose shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  Aftermath

  The public LEB entity ceased to operate in its former statutory form, while the London electricity business continued through private ownership.

  Source

• 2010

  London distribution assets transferred to UK Power Networks[1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  EDF sold its London, South Eastern, and Eastern distribution businesses to Hong Kong-based investors. The assets were subsequently operated under the UK Power Networks name.

• 1998

  Électricité de France acquired London Electricity[1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  EDF acquired the London electricity business in November 1998 and subsequently operated it with related regional distribution companies under EDF Energy Networks.

• 1996

  Entergy acquired London Electricity[1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The London electricity business was acquired by Entergy, a United States energy company.

• 1990

  LEB converted into London Electricity plc[1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Electricity Act 1989 led to the privatisation of the regional electricity boards. LEB became London Electricity plc and entered the London Stock Exchange-listed electricity market.

• 1948

  London Electricity Board created through electricity nationalisation[1]London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The London Electricity Board began operating as one of Britain’s regional public electricity boards after the nationalisation of the electricity industry.

1. 1London Electricity Boarden.wikipedia.org