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Lightening is Electricity
my source
Benjamin Franklin proves that lightening is electricity by tying a key to a kite and flying the kite during a thunderstorm. -
Incandescent Light Bulb
my source
Thomas Edison invents the incandescent light bulb. Sir Joseph Swan invented much the same thing in England, but Edison always gets all the credit, and this is an American history. -
First Electric Power Station
The first commercial electric power station went into business, giving customers in a one mile radius of Pearl Street in lower Manhattan access to electricity.
My sources: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Station -
First US Hydroelectric plant
The first hydroelectric plant in the US was formed on the Fox River, near Appleton, Michigan in 1882.
Sources:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_lester_pelton.htm
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/gilded/jb_gilded_hydro_1.html -
Formation of General Electric
Edison General Electric Company merges with Thompson-Houston Electric Company to form GE
Sources:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm
http://edison.rutgers.edu/list.htm
note the day and month are virtually unfindable, so I just said Jan. 1 -
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam was built between 1931 and 1936 on the border between Arizona and Nevada. No one had ever tried to build such a large concrete structure before. It is still used for hydroelectric power and irrigation water.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam
note The date is when the land to build the dam on was built. -
Rural Electric Administration
By the mid 1930's cities had electricity, but many rural places did not. President Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Administration bill as part of his New Deal to give rural areas accesss to electricity.
Sources:
http://www.tvakids.com/electricity/history.htm
http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/rural-electrification/12189 -
First Practical Solar Cell
The first practical solar cell was invented in Bell Laboratories in 1954. They began to market it and make solar panels.
Source:
http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/solar_cell.htm -
First Commercial Nuclear Power Plant
The first commercial nuclear power plant in the US was created in 1957 in Shippingham, Pennsylvania.
Sources:
http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/environment_society/education/student/energy_timeline/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippingport_Reactor -
First Geothermal Plant
Scientists start to drill the first hot dry rock reservoir at Fenton Hill, New Mexico. It started to produce power in 1980.
Sources:
http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=tl_geothermal
http://www.ees.lanl.gov/ees11/geophysics/other/hdr.shtml
note I can't find an exact date, so I just put Jan 1.
