The purpose of this thesis is to furnish a brief analysis of the economic, social and, to a limited extent, technical aspects of the Elec- :tricity Supply Industry in Great Britain and to outline a history of its development as a public utility service. Further, to trace the main trends and changes in its administrative and service structure; to present its economic and financial achievements; to show its technical progress since its birth up to its present phase of development. I propose to discuss also the political and legislative influences and forces, which have played such an important part in its natural growth. These political forces are still a determining factor in shaping its future. For this reason, I thought it necessary to consider the development of the Electricity Supply Industry within (a) wider framework of the National Economy, A study of the development of this particular {l l- Industry will, I believe, serve as a useful illustration of the revolutionary and most conspicuous growth of one of the New Industries in our times. It will also be very interesting to bring into the open those economic and political views, which formed the basis of many changes that the Electricity Supply Industry went through within a comparatively short, but consist- • :ently progressive time. During this period it became one of the most important of the public ' utility services. It is not a mistake to say that the history of the Electricity Supply Industry has, indeed, few parallels in the long chain of epochal discoveries and inventions so successfully made by man.