4th September 1882: Thomas Edison opens the world's first power plant

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4th September 1882: Thomas Edison opens the world's first power plant

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6 жыл бұрын

Edison created his incandescent light bulb in October 1879, and was quick to realise that he also had to develop a system to generate and distribute the required electricity to consumers.
Having successfully installed a number of smaller private systems in both the United States and Britain, Edison bought two adjoining commercial buildings on Pearl Street in the area known as the First District in New York to house his commercial power plant.
Installing the six dynamos and their coal-powered reciprocating steam engines was a significant technical challenge, but one of the most expensive aspects of the venture was the laying of almost 100,000 feet of wiring in specially-dug underground conduits.
By the time the system was ready to begin operation on 4 September 1882, Edison had signed up around 80 customers with a total of 400 light bulbs. The New York Times, one of the first users, described the “soft, mellow” light in a short article the next day. However the inauguration of the world’s first commercial power plant did not receive the media fanfare many might have expected, and the report was filed under ‘Miscellaneous City News.’
While Edison’s customer base increased to almost 500 users within twelve months of the Pearl Street Station opening, it ran at a loss for the first two years. The system did, however, generate demand for electrical energy elsewhere and kick-started the electrical age. The shortcomings of Edison’s direct current soon became apparent, however, as it was prohibitively expensive to provide such power over long distances. Within just a few years, competitors using high voltage alternating current had begun to dominate the market.

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@rossk4864 Жыл бұрын

Edison was not the first electrical energy producer in the U.S.. California Electric Light Company built a power plant using equipment purchased from Charles Brush Company, built a distribution system and sent out its first billing to electrical users in San Francisco in1879, three years before Edison's Pearl Street Plant.

@pv-mm2or Жыл бұрын

The Victorian period was when the world witnessed enormous advancement when it came to energy. The first hydro-electric plant started operating in Cragside in the UK in 1878 and, in 1888, Cleveland Ohio became home to the first windmill that generated electricity. The world’s first coal-fired power station, the Edison Electric Light Station, was built in London in 1882, with the promise of supplying light and warmth to London homes it produced 110v DC was not cost effective and the company went bust 4 years later. The Liverpool (Corporation) Electric Lighting Act 1879 (42 & 43 Vict. c.ccxiii) was the first electric lighting act to be enacted in the UK, it gave the Liverpool Corporation powers to light streets by electricity. The London Electric Supply Corporation (LESCo) opened Deptford Power Station, Tesla opened the door of A/C power and the UK's first (single-phase) AC power system, designed by Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti was born, from this point electricity has never looked back. others designed bigger and better over the proceeding years, all making good on Edison's failures.

@CaptCrewSock 3 жыл бұрын

THANK GAWD for Tesla and George Westinghouse!

@johndoe-tk6en Жыл бұрын

There are a lot more people to thank!

@turtlevox4181 5 ай бұрын

I did the voiceover for the display at the Pearl Street location when it became a museum of sorts in the 1980s. Guess it didn’t take-now it’s a parking lot.

@rcjjcr2979 5 ай бұрын

It was Tesla!!!

@WIAProductionsofficial 3 жыл бұрын

Tesla Tesla

@DrGayathriSreepathy-mo8cw Жыл бұрын

Kathavarayar remembered pearl street

@papaluskask999 3 жыл бұрын

Siemens first to light up village via hydroelectric power

@paulkuenn3149 7 ай бұрын

Sorry, but first lighted homes were in Appleton, WI September 30, 1882 with 4 more houses by mid December 82. The Hearthstone House was the world's first hydroelectric lit house.