Large-scale hydroelectric power plant
Central hidroeléctrica a gran escala
- Date
- 1882–1895 · confidence high
- Place
- Niagara Falls, New York, United States
- Credited to
- Niagara Falls Power Company; Westinghouse; Nikola Tesla (polyphase system); first plant: Appleton, Wisconsin (1882)
- People
- 👤 Nikola Tesla1856–1943
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
Harnessing of the Niagara Falls with polyphase generators sending electricity to Buffalo (1896). It established the model of a large power station sited away from consumers.
Appleton (1882) was the first commercial hydroelectric plant, at 12.5 kW; Niagara (1895) marked the jump in scale.
What it led to
- Great 20th-century dams (Hoover, Dnieper, Aswan)
- Electricity-intensive industries (aluminium, carbide, electrochemicals)
- State planning of energy (TVA, New Deal)
Built on
Made possible
- Hall-Héroult aluminium process1886
- Pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant1890s-1907
- Aswan High Dam1960-1970
- Itaipu hydroelectric power station1975-1984
- Hoover Dam
- Electrochemical calcium carbide process