First You Have to Make It: The Spread of the Electricity Supply

Abstract

At the beginning of 1900 there were 170 electricity supply undertakings in Britain; 100 of them were municipal organizations and 70 private companies. By the end of 1907 this had more than doubled to 389 with 233 municipal and 156 private, which was two-thirds of the number that were nationalized in 1948. Around the turn of the century was the great time for setting up to supply electricity. America had a much smaller proportion of municipal organizations. In 1902 there were 2805 private and 815 municipal; in 1907, 3462 private and 1252 municipal, which rose to 4224 private ones in 1917 before starting to decrease.¹

The day must come when electricity will be for everyone, as the waters of the rivers and the wind of heaven. It should not merely be supplied, but lavished, that men may use it at their will, as the air they breathe. In towns it will flow as the very blood of society. Every home will tap abundant power, heat and light like drawing water from a spring. And at night it will light another sun in the dark sky, putting out the stars. There will be no more winter, summer will be eternal, warmth will return to the old world, melting even the highest snow.

Emile Zola, Travail, Book III, Ch II, pub. 1901