The 1985 Lord Nelson of Stafford Lecture. Electricity in the UK

The paper describes the development of the electricity grid in the United Kingdom from its establishment in 1935. It originally allowed a pooling of the generating capability of many undertakings, and then led quickly to lower overall costs. After the second world war there was vast expansion of demand. In the 1950s and 1960s the 275 kV and 400 kV grids were built, and the present network, with relatively modest extensions and regular refurbishment, appears strong enough to serve beyond the turn of the century.