The company was founded in 1898 for the purpose of obtaining parliamentary powers to operate electric light and tramway undertakings in England, Wales and Scotland. By 1901 powers had been obtained to construct electricity systems in the following towns, given together with the projected cost of these works: £640,000 in June 1923; and £250,000 of £1 ordinary shares in 1930. In 1905 Bishop Auckland was no longer controlled by the company but the Caterham and Newbury undertakings had been added to the Urban Electric Supply Company's portfolio. In 1930 the capital raised by the issue of shares was used to acquire control of the following electricity undertakings: In 1931 the world price of tin suffered a serious fall.
Post-war operations By 1946 the only generating station operated by the Urban Electric Supply Company was the Hawick undertaking, with an output of 1,888 MWh. The Cornwall Electric Power Company Limited operated Hayle power station, output 142,868 MWh; and the East Anglian Electric Supply Company operated power stations at Cromer, output 62.9 MWh; and Southwold, output 392 kWh. which nationalised the British electricity supply industry. The company's power stations and electricity transmission systems were vested in the
British Electricity Authority. The local distribution systems and the electricity supply functions were vested in the various geographical
electricity boards. == Financial ==