In 1948, the British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established, with the nationalisation of the UK's electricity supply industry, through the authority of the Electricity Act 1947. The BEA took over the operations of over 600 private power companies and local council power stations to form 14 area boards. Portishead Power Station ceased to be owned by Bristol Corporation and was now operated by the BEA. Generating capacity was increased in 1948 and a second stack was added. When building work on the new Portishead B Power Station began in 1949, the original station was renamed Portishead A.