EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR AFTER THE 2nd WORLD WAR

Abstract

Electricity plays a fundamental role since its comercial use began in the energy sector. This article intends to analyze the different stages, which can be seen in the evolution of the electricity sector in the period between World War II and today. In a first phase, a phase in which a strong state intervention occurs in the sector, in some countries nationalization is observed. Subsequently, a process starts in the opposite direction, with a significant trend towards liberalization and some countries have problems carrying out this process. This difficulty can be seen in the case of Spain, with frequent changes in the legal regulation of the sector. In the member countries of the European Union, the influence of EU legislation on the sector's development in recent decades should be noted. Some posible future developments are also described.