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Business and government in electricity network integration in Western Europe, c.1900-1950

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  • Robert Millward

Abstract

A cross-country comparison is made of the moves to system integration, at the national level, of electricity supply in several Western European countries. Private electricity business firms were dominant in France, Italy and Spain and large generating enterprises and transporting groups grew through mergers and agreements. In Germany, Scandinavia and the UK, municipalities were more common and were resistant to mergers and network development. Several national networks had emerged by the 1940s but hardly any were nationally managed in the sense of ensuring electricity was everywhere supplied from the lowest cost source. The article considers the economic gains from integration and argues that it developed successfully where central governments became actively involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Millward, 2006. "Business and government in electricity network integration in Western Europe, c.1900-1950," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(4), pages 479-500.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:bushst:v:48:y:2006:i:4:p:479-500
    DOI: 10.1080/00076790600808617
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zamagni, Vera, 1997. "The Economic History of Italy 1860-1990," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198292890, Decembrie.
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    Cited by:

    1. Abbott, Malcolm & Cohen, Bruce, 2022. "Economics, ideology, and the creation and performance of state-owned electricity utilities in Australia, 1900 to 1950," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Llopis, Maria Teresa Sanchis, 2016. "Did electricity drive Spain’s “most progressive decade”?," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 309, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    3. Robert MILLWARD, 2010. "Public enterprise in the modern western world: an historical analysis," Departmental Working Papers 2010-26, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.

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