Wiktor Wise
The electrification of the United States began in the late 19th century, with the construction of the first large-scale central power station in America, Edison's Pearl Street Station in New York, in 1882. By the 1920s, most cities and towns in America received electricity from either privately owned or municipal utility companies. However, rural electrification progressed more slowly, with only about 10% of rural America electrified by 1932. World War II interrupted electrification efforts, but in 1944, President Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Bill, prioritizing the extension of electrification to rural areas. Today, the United States continues to make strides towards carbon-free electricity, with President Biden signing an executive order in 2021 committing the country to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First electricity in the US | 1882 |
| First power station | Edison's Pearl Street Station, New York |
| First transmission line | 1889, between Willamette Falls Station, Oregon City, Oregon, and downtown Portland, Oregon |
| First long-distance transmission of DC electricity | 1889 |
| First long-distance transmission of AC electricity | 1890 |
| First large-scale central power station | 1882, Pearl Street Station |
| First AC power station | 1891, London |
| First electric transmission in North America | 1889 |
| First electric transmission in the world | 1882, Miesbach–Munich Power Transmission, Germany |
| First operative AC line | 1885, Rome, Italy |
| First use of the word "transformer" | 1885, Rome, Italy |
| First three-phase alternating current using high voltage | 1891, International Electricity Exhibition, Frankfurt |
| Rural Electrification Administration (REA) established | 1935 |
| Rural Electrification Bill signed | 1944 |
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What You'll Learn
The first US home with electricity
The history of electricity in the United States is a fascinating one, with many pivotal moments that brought this essential energy source into homes across the nation. The first US home with electricity was the Hearthstone House in Appleton, Wisconsin, powered through hydroelectricity and illuminating for the first time on September 30, 1882. This house, originally known as the Henry J. Rogers House, was the first private residence in the nation to be electrified. The system was designed by Thomas Edison, who installed the first private electric system in his own home in 1878, sparking a wave of electrification.
Edison, a towering figure in America's electrical landscape, is renowned for his contributions to lighting and power distribution systems. However, it was not until 1882 that J.P. Morgan had Edison's company wire his New York residence, marking the first home with electricity in a major US city. This early adoption by a prominent figure like Morgan showcases the appeal of electric lighting over the fire risks and poor indoor air quality associated with candles and gas lights.
The electrification of the Hearthstone House was made possible by its owner, Henry J. Rogers, who was the president of the Appleton Paper and Pulp Co. The hydroelectric power that lit the house was generated at one of the company's processing plants just across the river. This renewable energy source, harnessed from the Fox River, is a testament to the early exploration of renewable energy, which is still widely implemented today.
The electrification of American homes gained momentum with the establishment of power plants. By 1902, just 20 years after the first power plant, there were 2,250 power plants in the United States. This number grew to nearly 4,000 by 1920, enabling millions of people to access electricity. The widespread availability of electricity in homes in the early 20th century revolutionised daily life, with utility companies promoting the use of electric goods like toasters, irons, hot plates, and hair dryers.
While the Hearthstone House stands as a monument to the first electrified private residence in the US, it is important to note that rural communities faced significant challenges in accessing electricity. Even by 1932, only 10% of rural homes had electricity, and half of those relied on personal generators. It was only after World War II, in 1945, that 90% of all US households finally had electricity, marking a new era with modern conveniences.
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Rural electrification
In 1936, Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act, which established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) as a government agency. The REA provided federal loans to member-owned cooperatives for electrifying rural areas. These cooperatives, or co-ops, played a crucial role in bringing electricity to rural communities. They were able to secure loans with favourable terms, including low-interest rates and long repayment periods, to finance the construction of transmission lines and the wiring of homes. The first electric co-op in the state was formed by the residents of Edgecombe and Martin counties in 1936, serving 82 members.
The REA also standardised poles, hardware, power transformers, and electrical wires to reduce expenses. They employed assembly-line construction methods, which further decreased costs. Additionally, the REA provided technical expertise, hiring engineers to design efficient transmission systems tailored to the needs of rural customers. The dedication of the REA and the cooperatives, coupled with improved construction efficiencies, significantly accelerated the electrification of rural areas.
The impact of rural electrification went beyond just providing light. It improved the standard of living for farmers, increasing farm production and contributing to the United States' leadership in agriculture. Electrification also enabled the development of new industries in rural areas, fostering economic growth away from traditional urban centres. Furthermore, it encouraged Americans to stay on family farms, as electricity enhanced the efficiency of work and the comforts of home life.
Today, rural electric cooperatives continue to play an essential role in providing electric service to a significant portion of the United States, ensuring that rural communities remain connected and empowered.
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The shift from coal to electricity
However, the long, steady rise of coal-fired electricity generation began to shift to a decline after 2007. This decline has been attributed to several factors, including the increased availability of natural gas, decreased consumption, the emergence of renewable power sources, and stricter environmental regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has played a crucial role in this transition by implementing rules such as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAP) and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) to reduce air pollution and mercury emissions from coal plants.
The shift away from coal has had economic and social impacts, particularly on communities heavily reliant on coal-related jobs. Academics at the University of Michigan have acknowledged the potential negative consequences of job losses in the coal industry and have proposed replacing these jobs with local renewable generation and storage positions. While these local jobs may be more expensive, they offer stable employment prospects and contribute to decarbonization efforts.
The US electricity supply system is currently undergoing a rapid transition, increasingly adopting cheap wind and solar power, and shifting from coal to low-cost natural gas. This shift is driven by economic factors, such as the decreasing cost of renewable energy technologies, as well as environmental concerns and government policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. In 2021, President Biden signed an executive order committing the country to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035, which has accelerated the transition away from coal.
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The rise of hydropower
The use of electricity in the United States grew significantly in the twentieth century. Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and other inventors began introducing practical electric power systems in the 1880s. By the 1920s, most cities and towns in America received electricity from either privately owned or municipal utility companies. However, only about 10% of rural America was electrified by 1932. The Rural Electrification Bill, signed by President Roosevelt in 1944, aimed to address this disparity and bring electricity to rural communities.
Hydropower played a significant role in the expansion of electricity in the United States, particularly in the early 20th century. The 37 MW Tesla-Westinghouse Niagara hydroelectric plant, built in 1896, marked the beginning of the modern electric industry in the country. For the next 50 years, hydropower dominated new additions to generation capacity, including major projects in the 1930s enabled by the Rural Electrification Act. More than 4000 hydroelectric dams have been built in the United States since the late 19th century, representing six percent of all-time additions to electric generation capacity.
Hydropower continues to be an important source of renewable energy in the United States. In 2021, hydroelectric power accounted for 6.3% of the country's total electricity generation and was the second-largest source of renewable energy after wind power. The United States is currently the third-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world, after Brazil and China. There is potential for further growth in the sector, with the Department of Energy's Hydropower Vision aiming to increase capacity to nearly 150 GW by 2050 through technological advancements and a focus on sustainability. Additionally, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecasted an increase in hydropower generation in 2024, with notable increases expected in the Southeast and Northwest regions.
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The future of electricity in the US
The US has a long history of innovation in electricity generation and distribution, from Thomas Edison's first large-scale central power station in 1882 to the establishment of the modern electric industry with the Tesla-Westinghouse Niagara hydroelectric plant in 1896. The 20th century saw a rapid increase in energy use, particularly electricity, which grew more than one hundred-fold from 1920 to 2021. This was largely generated from fossil fuels, with coal dominating the market for decades.
However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards renewable energy sources. In 2019, more energy was generated from zero-carbon sources than from fossil fuels for the first time. This shift has been driven in part by government policies and state and regional climate initiatives, such as the Rural Electrification Bill signed by President Roosevelt in 1944, which aimed to bring electricity to rural communities, and more recently, by clean energy and renewable portfolio standards.
The US is now embracing new technologies, such as heat pumps, which can reduce energy loads and flatten the electric demand curve, and the development of super grids and smart grids to accommodate the transition to renewable energy. The country is also moving towards electric vehicles, with a federal requirement that all light-duty vehicles sold in the US be electric by 2026.
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