AbstractAfter establishing that high yields (up to 80% w/w on carbon basis) of acetylene could be obtained by electron‐activated cracking of methane in anomalous glow‐discharges at reduced (∼ 60–100 torr) pressure, the laboratory tests were scaled up and a 201 spherical reactor was used. The effects of electrode geometry, gas flow rate and high power inputs on the yield and production rate of acetylene and on specific energy consumption were studied and conditions for the economic production of acetylene were established. The applicability of the “electro‐cracking” technique to the production of acetylene from propane has also been