South of Scotland Electricity Board

The South of Scotland Electricity Board (SSEB) generated, transmitted and distributed electricity throughout the south of Scotland, including the former regions of Strathclyde, Lothian, Fife, Central, Borders and Dumfries and Galloway and a few towns in northern England. It operated from 1955 to 1991.

As established by the Electricity Act 1947 there were two British Electricity Authority divisions responsible for the generation of electricity in Scotland based in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act 1954 transferred to the Secretary of State for Scotland the responsibility for electricity matters in Scotland and established the South of Scotland Electricity Board, a new public authority for the generation and distribution of electricity in the South of Scotland.

The 1954 Act specified the management board was to comprise a chairman and not less than four and not more than eight members. All appointments to the board were to be made by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Electricity generated by the Board was from coal fired steam power stations, hydro electric stations, and from 1964 from nuclear power stations. +Steam power stations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board (1958)Power stationLocationSteam raising capacity of boilers, 1000 lb/hrGenerating setsTotal generating capacity, MWSteam condenser, tower or water course, water flowrateBaronyCumnock Ayrshire3001 × 30 MW30Cooling tower 3 million gallons per hour (mgph)BonnybridgeStirlingshire6901 × 5 MW, 2 × 12.5 MW, 2 × 20 MW70Cooling tower 3.35 mgphBraeheadRenfew2,1004 × 50 MW200River ClydeClyde’s MillCambuslang Glasgow2,1242 × 18.75 MW, 8 × 30 MW277.5Cooling tower 3.0 mgphDalmarnockGlasgow2,3602 × 18.75 MW, 2 × 50 MW, 1 × 60 MW197.5River ClydeDunfermlineFife1541 × 4 MW, 1× 6 MW, 1 × 3 MW13Townhill LochFalkirkStirlingshire851 × 1.5 MW, 2 × 3 MW7.5Cooling tower 0.4 mgphFergusliePaisley1442 × 5 MW, 2 × 3 MW16.25Cooling trough 0.76 mgphGalashielsSelkirkshire671 × 1.875 MW, 1 × 3.75 MW5.625Rivers Gala and Tweed
The Board commissioned large coal fired stations such as the 760 MW Kincardine power station (1958), the 1200 MW Inverkip (1967), the 1200 MW Cockenzie power station (1967), and the 2400 MW Longannet power station (1970).

Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity Board is summarised in the table. +Key operating data for the South of Scotland Electricity Board YearTotal output capacity, MWMaximum demand, MWCustomers, thousandsEmployeesCapital expenditure, £ millionNet profit, £ million194988595689452.80.78719591656175013421275827.40.09719693837357414781512161.00.63219766082392515501394170.22.72019777183430715641367255.222.28619787572422815691363242.75.61819797418449615761373052.59.53219807826422515851365864.70.099198178264106195613624128.516.531198263164733160513005287.417.231198363564009161412720316.544.101198461884052162812307407.542.567198562504154164212019376.0–11.94198662304237165512172368.643.618198761604406166912339364.332.225198855184125168212173224.712.69198967684026170012008158.31.424
The amount of electricity supplied by the board, in GWh, is shown on the graph.

As a consequence of the Electricity Act 1989, which privatised the British electricity industry, the nuclear assets of the South of Scotland Electricity Board were transferred to Scottish Nuclear. In January 1990 a reactor at the Hunterston A Magnox Power Station was shut down. The second reactor was shut down on 31 March 1990, the day before the nuclear generation assets (Hunterston A, Hunterston B and Torness Power Stations) were vested with Scottish Nuclear. The remainder of the assets were privatised as ScottishPower in 1991 and the South of Scotland Electricity Board was dissolved.