For a long time, humanity existed without electrical energy. But with the advent of the first power plant, it became clear that this is one of the most important events in the world.
Formation of a new industry
In the second half of the 19th century, gas lighting lamps were replaced by electric ones, which were powered by direct current. It happened in New York on September 4, 1882. The famous American inventor Thomas Alva Edison launched the very first power plant. This invention had the ability to share electricity in a modern way. Electricity was supplied to a specific consumer via power cables with taps laid underground. Initially, electricity was generated at a block station, which Edison built in a house he bought for this purpose. The pilot project was funded by Morgan, an American entrepreneur and banker.
First start-up of the power plant
Dignitaries gathered on the day the power plant was launched. Initially, the experiment was going well; at the moment of connection to the first power source of the second, an unexpected "circus" happened. The generators began to shake, began to emit a loud rumble, those around them fled from fright. The operation of generators connected in this way allowed one of them to become a generator for the other. Thomas Edison installed several generators with a total capacity of over 500 kW. The engines were powered by steam boilers that were mechanically supplied with coal. There was no belt drive in this system, and the voltage was automatically regulated. Such a power plant could serve the New York area, it was 2.5 square kilometers of area.
The first power plant supplied a low voltage current, therefore, there were large losses in the electrical wires. They heated up, the efficiency of supplying energy over a distance was lost. Because of these inconveniences, it was necessary to create power plants in the city center, which means that there was a difficulty with the next investment of funds. The problem was aggravated by the lack of land plots and their high cost. Therefore, the first power plants were carried out in the USA in high-rise buildings. Of course, the supply of fuel and water created certain difficulties.
Free experiment
Initially, the first power plant served consumers free of charge. considered experimental. This station did not have metering systems. There was only a relay that was needed to turn off the station in the event of an overload in the network. And each generator had its own individual switch. Modern society does not have the opportunity to see firsthand the first power plant, because she has not survived to this day.
