The German Electrical Utility Industry During World War II

1. Although the German electrical utility undertakings had facilities for nation-wide interconnections, and although they had a well co-ordinated operating organization, the German electrical utilities did not succeed in nation-wide interconnected operation, mainly because of technical limitations. 2. Germany, like the United States, entered the period of World War II with identical percentages of spare capacity. Germany, unlike the United States, began to feel capacity shortages as early as 1940, which shortages became more pressing as the war progressed, while in the United States there was at no time during the war a shortage of capacity. 3. Except for the rapid development of air circuit breakers, development in design and construction of plant facilities progressed, in general, along similar lines as in the United States, although with somewhat less regard for reliability. 4. Although the German electrical utility industry was never a primary target for aerial assault, it suffered considerable damage principally through aerial warfare. 5. The collapse of the German electrical utility system was coincidental rather than contributory to the general industrial collapse of Germany toward the end of the war.