used steam power to
operate the Pearl Street Station, the first central generating station to
light New York City. It produced direct current electricity (DC) - a
subject of major debate with one of his employees, Nicolai Tesla.
| MadSci Network: Science History |
As you probably know, Thomas Edison credited with inventing the light bulb. However, in order to make electric lighting widely available - electric power had to be available!
In 1882, Thomas Edison
used steam power to
operate the Pearl Street Station, the first central generating station to
light New York City. It produced direct current electricity (DC) - a
subject of major debate with one of his employees, Nicolai Tesla.
In 1883, Edison
electrified Brockton, Massachusetts.
However, DC electricity was difficult to transmit over long distances
through wire. Always at odds with Edison, a young Tesla became the creative
drive behind the Westinghouse Company at the turn of
the century.
Westinghouse, a major inventor in his own right, joined forces with Tesla,
and with another inventor, Steinmetz
. to build the first
AC generating plant, using the power of the waterfalls at Niagara Falls.
The 1893 "Columbian Exposition" with the Westinghouse and Tesla exhibits,
were a marvel for all the world to view. The power plants at Niagara Falls
overpowered Edison's DC systems, and the world was soon
powered by Tesla's AC Polyphase System.
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