المقال الأول من الطالب بدر الغامدي

History of the Electric Power Industry

America enjoys some of the most reliable and affordable electricity in the world. But have you ever wondered how today's electricity system, with its "on-demand" power, got its start?
You would probably guess that any discussion about the early use of electricity would have to include Thomas Alva Edison, and you'd be right. Although knowledge of electricity dates back to the ancient Greeks, it wasn't until Edison's pioneering work with electricity in the late 19th century that we were able to harness electricity in a useful way. Edison's invention of the incandescent light bulb in 1879 revolutionized our way of life and we have him to thank for the last 125 years of electric innovation.
Find out the difference between alternating and direct currents
AC vs. DC
Edison's method for generating and transmitting electricity was called direct current, or low voltage. George Westinghouse, a consolidator of his time, built Westinghouse Electric by purchasing other inventor's patents, including the polyphase alternating current (AC) system invented by Nikola Tesla.
In an alternating current system, transformers were used to step up, or increase the voltage that left the power plant. This enabled the electricity to travel over long-distance wires. When the electricity reached its destination, another transformer would then step down, or decrease the voltage so that power could be used in homes and factories.
Edison's direct current system was unable to use transformers. With Edison's system, the voltage dropped as it traveled further and further from the generator. To overcome this disadvantage, power plants would have to be built close to the power users-a costly solution.
Soon, the Westinghouse alternating current system—rather than Edison's more expensive, higher-maintenance, and less efficient direct current system—began to get most of the orders. Another advantage with the alternating system soon became apparent: By allowing central stations to serve wider markets, the AC system also encouraged utilities to build larger stations, which then benefited from economies of scale and lowered their operating costs.
In 1893, the Westinghouse AC system was chosen to move electric power from Niagara Falls to Buffalo. Shortly after that, the Westinghouse AC "universal" system became the new standard for transmitting electricity. Now, one generating station could transmit power relatively cheaply over a wide service area.
Learn more about Edison’s invention of the light bulb and his Pearl Street Station.
Invention of the Light Bulb
On October 21, 1879, Edison created his now famous incandescent light bulb, which burned for 40 hours. During 1880, Edison continued work to refine his light bulb. He also began exploring ideas for an equally important invention: a way to generate and transmit the electricity his light bulb would need. A practical and reliable electricity supply was essential if the light bulb was ever to become a practical appliance for homes and businesses.

Power for the people: 1930-1957
It is impossible to tell the story of Basin Electric without mentioning the time and circumstance of America before rural electrification and the origins of distribution cooperatives and generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives.
It was President Theodore Roosevelt who originally researched federal dams for flood control, conservation, irrigation, navigation, recreation, and hydro power was an afterthought. Since land was taken from the people to build the dams, the thought was that the power should be given back to the people at cost, not to a private power company that could earn money for stockholders.


Rural life in the 1930s had few "amenities," such as electricity and running water.
During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pledged a New Deal for the American people. At that time, countries around the world had various levels of rural electric development. France and Germany were highly developed, rural New Zealand was 60 percent electrified, but the U.S. – which had miles upon miles of rural land – was only 10 percent developed. The rural Great Plains was only 3.5 percent electrified.
A major obstacle to electrifying rural America was the lack of corporate profit for developing this area; specifically, the cost of building transmission lines for sparsely populated areas.
The time period from 1879–1929, the Age of Invention, saw new technologies (powered by electricity) advancing the country at a rapid pace. There was a great divide between rural and urban life. If you lived in the city you had electric lights, water pumps, washing machines, electric ovens and ranges, refrigeration, electric motors, radios, and all the modern technologies made life easier. But if you lived in the country, everything was harder, took more time, and was less efficient without electricity.

Reference:
www.eei.org
www.basinelectric.com