Electric power industry The world's first public electricity supply was provided in late 1881, when the streets of the Surrey town of Godalming in the UK were lit with electric light. This system was powered from a water wheel on the River Wey, which drove a Siemens alternator that supplied a number of arc lamps within the town. This supply scheme also provided electricity to a number of shops and premises to light 34 incandescent Swan light bulbs. Additionally, Robert Hammond, in December 1881, demonstrated the new electric light in the Sussex town of Brighton in the UK for a trial period. The
Public services in Crawley the town's needs in its early years. As of 2019, the electricity distribution network operator covering Crawley is UK Power Networks. At first, responsibility for street lighting was split between the different parish councils in which Crawley lay. Crawley Development Corporation organised the three councils, the British Electricity Authority and SEEBOARD (the local electricity board) in a working party to ensure coverage was suitable and uniform across the town. The Development Corporation had the responsibility for all new installations of street lighting in Crawley's neighbourhoods. It also investigated the concept of centrally supplied heating for the whole town, powered by