Beatrice Lang
The Niagara Falls Power Company was the first company to generate hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls in 1882. The company was formed by the merger of several predecessor companies that aimed to construct a canal for hydraulic mill power. In 1893, the Niagara Falls Power Company awarded a contract to Westinghouse Electric to set up the first long-range power network, producing electricity for distribution in Buffalo, New York. This contract was the result of a competition led by the international Niagara Falls Commission, offering cash prizes for the best plan to harness the falls. The Westinghouse Electric Company, founded by George Westinghouse, successfully demonstrated the use of alternating current (AC) to power various electrical systems, showcasing its safety, effectiveness, and flexibility. The company's expertise in AC technology and ability to underbid competitors, such as General Electric, contributed to winning the Niagara Falls contract.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company that won the contract | Westinghouse Electric Company (later known as the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company) |
| Year contract was won | 1893 |
| Competitors | General Electric |
| Financiers | J.P. Morgan, John Jacob Astor IV, Lord Rothschild, W.K. Vanderbilt |
| Power plant name | Edward Dean Adams Power Plant |
| Power plant designer | McKim, Mead, and White |
| First power generation date | August 26, 1895 |
| Date power reached Buffalo | November 1896 |
| Company that first purchased power | Street railway company |
| Company that acquired Niagara Falls Power Company in 2002 | National Grid plc |
| Purchase price in 2002 | $3 billion (equivalent to $5,244,588,000 in 2024) |
| Key innovators | Nikola Tesla, Benjamin Lamme, Charles Proteus Steinmetz |
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What You'll Learn
George Westinghouse wins Niagara contract
In the late 1880s and early 1890s, electric power transmission systems were being introduced and rapidly spreading, with companies racing to develop their own systems. George Westinghouse, whose company had introduced an alternating current (AC) system in 1886, was at the forefront of this war of the currents. Westinghouse's system used transformers to step down from high voltage, allowing AC to be used for indoor lighting and to transmit power over longer distances from large central generating stations.
In 1892, Westinghouse Electric managed to underbid General Electric for the contract to electrify the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Westinghouse's demonstration of a safe and effective AC system powering all of the exposition's electrical systems led to the company winning the bid in 1893 to build an AC power station at Niagara Falls.
The Niagara Falls contract came about as a result of a competition led by the international Niagara Falls Commission, offering cash prizes for the best plan to harness the falls. The commission asked Westinghouse to develop electricity at Niagara Falls using alternating current, and the construction was funded by notable businessmen including J.P. Morgan, John Jacob Astor IV, Lord Rothschild, and W.K. Vanderbilt. The Edward Dean Adams Power Plant first produced power on August 26, 1895, and in November 1896, power generated from Niagara Falls reached Buffalo, New York.
The Westinghouse Electric Company, later renamed the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, was subcontracted by the Cataract Company to build 5,000 horsepower (3,700 kW) 25 Hz AC generators, designed by Nikola Tesla and Benjamin Lamme. This was a significant challenge, as earlier generators had only reached 150 horsepower. The generators were installed at the Adams Power Station, with the turbines installed by the I. P. Morris Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, based on a plan from Swiss company Faesch and Piccard.
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Niagara Falls Power Company
The Niagara Falls Power Company was incorporated on June 12, 1889, to develop hydroelectric power at Niagara Falls. The company was formed after Edward Dean Adams and others decided to abandon Evershed's plan to use waterwheels and turbines to generate power, in favour of hydroelectric power.
The Niagara Falls Power Company was one of two companies set up to carry out this new plan, the other being the Cataract Construction Company, of which Adams was president. Adams directed plans to construct a central generating plant and to solve the problem of transmitting electricity over long distances.
In 1918, the Niagara Falls Power Company merged with the Cliff Electrical Distributing Company and the Hydraulic Power Company of Niagara Falls. The consolidated company retained the name Niagara Falls Power Company and issued $26 million in capital stock.
The Niagara Falls Power Company later became Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., which was acquired by National Grid plc in 2002.
The development of the Niagara Falls Power Company was part of a wider War of the Currents in the late 1880s and early 1890s, which saw companies compete to introduce new electric power transmission systems. George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla were instrumental in the development of alternating current (AC) systems, which competed with Thomas Edison's direct current (DC) systems. Westinghouse's company won the contract to electrify the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, and later that year won the bid to build an AC power station at Niagara Falls.
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Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company
The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company was an American company that became the first to generate hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls in 1882. The company built a small electrical plant in Niagara Falls, New York, which generated direct current (DC). The plant could only distribute the current within a two-mile radius, but it was a huge success, both as a utility and as a tourist attraction.
The company's small plant demonstrated the potential for hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls. Prior to this, mills had been using water diverted from the Falls as a source of hydraulic power since 1759. The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company built upon the work of several predecessor companies that had attempted to construct a canal for hydraulic mill power.
In 1893, the Niagara Falls Commission, led by Lord Kelvin, asked George Westinghouse to develop alternating current (AC) electricity at Niagara Falls. Westinghouse Electric had already demonstrated the safety and flexibility of its AC system at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, beating General Electric to the contract.
In 1895, the Edward Dean Adams Power Plant, designed by McKim, Mead, and White, first produced power. By 1896, power generated from Niagara Falls reached Buffalo, 40km away.
In 1918, the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company merged with the Niagara Falls Power Company, which later became Niagara Mohawk and was acquired by National Grid plc in 2002.
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War of the Currents
The War of the Currents was a series of events that took place in the late 1880s and early 1890s, surrounding the introduction of competing electric power transmission systems. The war grew out of two lighting systems developed in the late 1870s and early 1880s: arc lamp street lighting running on high-voltage alternating current (AC) and large-scale low-voltage direct current (DC) indoor incandescent lighting, marketed by Thomas Edison's company.
In 1886, the Edison system faced new competition from an alternating current system introduced by George Westinghouse's company. This system used transformers to step down from a high voltage, allowing AC to be used for indoor lighting. The use of high voltage also meant that an AC system could transmit power over longer distances from more efficient large central generating stations.
The battle between the two systems escalated, with NYC Mayor Hugh J. Grant rejecting the claims that AC lines were safe. However, in May 1892, Westinghouse Electric managed to underbid General Electric on a contract to electrify the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, demonstrating a safe and effective AC system. This led to Westinghouse winning the bid to build an AC power station at Niagara Falls in 1893.
The Niagara Falls Power Project Company faced a challenging task, as earlier generators only produced 150 horsepower, while the new AC generators were designed to produce 5000 horsepower. The project was a success, and in 1895, the Edward Dean Adams Power Plant first produced power, with power generated from Niagara Falls reaching Buffalo in November 1896.
The development of AC power transmission was a significant milestone in the history of electricity, allowing for more efficient and flexible power distribution. The War of the Currents ultimately resulted in the widespread adoption of AC as the standard for electric power transmission.
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Niagara Falls Power Project
The Niagara Falls Power Project was a series of events surrounding the introduction of competing electric power transmission systems in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The project was first conceptualized in 1888, with the Niagara Falls Commission offering a $20,000 cash prize for the best plan to harness the falls for power generation. The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company, which had constructed a canal for hydraulic power generation, began operating a small electrical plant in Niagara Falls, New York, in 1882. This plant generated direct current (DC) and could only distribute power within a 2-mile radius. However, it highlighted the potential for hydroelectric power generation from Niagara Falls.
In 1892, Westinghouse Electric managed to underbid General Electric for the contract to electrify the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Although Westinghouse made no profit from the exposition, their successful demonstration of a safe and flexible alternating current (AC) system led them to win the bid to build an AC power station at Niagara Falls in 1893. General Electric was also involved in the project, awarded contracts to build AC transmission lines and transformers. The Edward Dean Adams Power Plant, designed by McKim, Mead, and White, first produced power on August 26, 1895, and by November 1896, power from Niagara Falls reached Buffalo, New York.
The Niagara Falls Power Project faced several challenges, including the issue of starting the motor under load in small stations. Charles Proteus Steinmetz, an independent contractor, worked to address thermal and electrical problems, building upon the research of Nikola Tesla. Steinmetz's work on hysteresis, a magnetic phenomenon causing power loss in motors, revolutionized AC circuit theory and analysis. The project also involved the development of polyphase apparatuses, which justified the decision to use Tesla's system, with Westinghouse receiving a contract to set up a long-range power network with AC generators. The turbines were installed by the I. P. Morris Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, based on a plan from the Swiss company Faesch and Piccard.
The Niagara Falls Power Company, formed through the merger of several predecessor companies, played a crucial role in the Niagara Falls Power Project. In 1918, the company merged with the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company, later becoming Niagara Mohawk. In 2002, National Grid plc acquired Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. for $3 billion. The Niagara Falls Power Project was a significant undertaking that contributed to advancements in power generation and transmission, showcasing the potential of hydroelectric power and shaping the future of electricity utilization.
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Frequently asked questions
Westinghouse Electric Company, also known as Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, won the Niagara Falls electric contract.
Westinghouse Electric competed with General Electric for the contract.
Westinghouse Electric managed to win the contract by underbidding General Electric.
The Edward Dean Adams Power Plant first produced power on August 26, 1895, and in November 1896, power generated from Niagara Falls reached Buffalo.
The development of hydroelectric power at Niagara Falls transformed the region into a hub for industry, boosting its population, economy, and significance on a national and global scale.
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