6. c. 54) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which nationalised, or bought into state control, the electricity supply industry in Great Britain.

It vested 505 separate local authority and company owned electricity undertakings in the BEA with effect from 1 April 1948.

[3] The issues of fragmentation, inefficiency and complexity of the British electricity supply industry had long been recognised.

Several proposals were put forward:[6] A reconstruction sub-committee of the Coalition Government, chaired by the Minister of Fuel and Power reported in 1943 on the future of the supply industry.

The Central Electricity Board had limited control over the design of power station plant, and there were tensions between commercial expediency and the national interest.