Principles of Sustainable Energy Systems, Third Edition, 3rd Edition

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Electricity Supply Systems

 

 

5.1Historical Development of the U.S. Electric Power System

For virtually every American and citizens of developed nations around the world the impact of electric power on their lives is pervasive. The National Academy of Engineering named electrification the greatest engineering achievement of the twentieth century. The development of the electric grid actually began in the previous century. The first use of generated electricity was a hydropower plant completed in 1868 on the estate of English industrialist William Armstrong. The electricity was used to power early incandescent light bulbs developed by the English inventor John Swan, as well as heat water and run various devices. Thomas Edison made improvements ...