or 66 kV). Lower voltages could be DC or AC. Frequency was to be 50 Hz ± 2.5%. The Electricity Commissioners published standards and guidance for electricity installations and reports on conferences and strategic policies for the industry (see Publications section). The Electricity Commissioners recognised that their activities had met with limited success, they were involved in many public inquiries and negotiations between electricity undertakings. Their powers of compulsion had been removed from the 1919 Electricity Bill and the period 1920 to 1926 has been characterised as a diagnosis of failure. Some of these issues were addressed by the Weir Committee in 1925 which led to the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 and the establishment of the Central Electricity Board. The CEB operated alongside the Electricity Commissioners until both were abolished upon nationalisation of the electricity industry on 1 April 1948. Section 58 of the Electricity Act 1947 gave the Minister the power to dissolve the Electricity Commissioners. The Electricity Commissioners existed for some years after nationalisation, and finally closed in 1953. Joint electricity authorities Four joint electricity authorities were established after the Electricity (Supply) Act 1922 had empowered then to borrow money to finance electricity schemes. Key people The first five Electricity Commissioners were: Sir John Francis Cleverton Snell, (Chairman) February 1920 – 1938. During his chairmanship the Central Electricity Board and the National Grid were established. H. Booth, Principal Clerk to the Board of Trade, February 1920–?. William Walker Lackie (1869–1945), Glasgow Corporation Electricity Department, February 1920 – 1934. Sir Archibald Page (1875–1949), February 1920–1925. Sir Harry Haward (1863–1953), February 1920–March 1930. Later appointments Sir John Macfarlane Kennedy (1879–1954), Deputy Chairman 1938–47, Chairman 1947–8, 1933–48. Sir (Standen) Leonard Pearce (1873–1947), May 1925–October 1926 and 1940–1945. T.P. Wilmshurst, November 1926–July 1935. Sir John Reeve Brooke (1880–1937), Deputy Chairman, March 1929–April 1937. Charles George Morley New (d.1957), April 1935 – 1948. Sir Cyril William Hurcomb (1883–1975), chairman from late 1937, June 1937 – 1948. Henry Nimmo (1885–1954), June 1945 – 1948. Publications The Electricity Commissioners published the following reports, standards and guidance material: Annual Report of the Electricity Commissioners (1920–1947) Regulations relating to Extra High Voltage, ELC. 13 (1920) Return of engineering and financial statistics relating to authorised undertakings in Great Britain (1923) Overhead Line Regulations, ELC. 39 (1924) Electricity Supply Regulations, ELC.38 (1925) Report of the Advisory Committee on Domestic Supplies of Electricity and Methods of Charge (1927) Report of