Appendix B
Historical Chronology of Energy-Related Milestones, 1800-1994

The following Historical Chronology of Energy Related Milestones provides an interesting look at technological and institutional events that have occurred throughout the history of the electric power industry.


Table B1. Historical Chronology of Energy-Related Milestones, 1800-1994
Year Technological Institutional USA and Canada
1800 First electric battery--A. Volta (Italy).
1801 Principles of arc light--H. Davy (UK).
1808 First effective arc lamp--H. Davy (UK).
1816 Gas Light Co. of Baltimore founded by R. Peale--first energy utility in USA, predecessor of Baltimore G&E.
1820 Relationship of electricity and magnetism confirmed--H.C Oersted (Den.). Congress gives City of Washington authority to regulate some prices.
1821 First electric motor--M. Faraday (UK).
1826 Ohms Law--G.S. Ohm (Ger.).
1831 Principles of electromagnetism, induction, generation and transmission--M. Faraday (UK).
1832 First dynamo--H. Pixii (France).

Faraday publishes on induction (UK).

J. Henry publishes on induction (USA).
1837 First industrial electric motors--T. Davenport (USA).
1839 First fuel cell--W. Grove (UK). Rhode Island sets up regulatory commission.
1860 Lead storage battery--G. Plante (France).
1865 Mathematical theory of electromagnetic fields--J.C. Maxwell (UK).
1870 First effective dynamo--Z.T. Gramme (Bel.).
1872 Gas turbine patent--F. Stulze (Ger.).
1873 Outdoor arc lighting, Winnipeg.
1876 Improved arc light, Jablochoff candle--P. Jablochoff (France). Arc lights at Philadelphia exposition.
1877 Munn v. Illinois--U.S. Supreme Court upholds regulation.
1878 Efficient arc lamp and open coil dynamo--C.F. Brush (USA). Edison Electric Light Co. (USA) and American Electric and Illuminating of Montreal founded.
1879 T.A. Edison (USA) and J. Swan (UK) independently invent practical incandescent lamp. First commercial power station opens in San Francisco, uses Brush generator and arc lights.

British Columbia Electric Railway.

1880 First isolated power system, from Edison, for S.S. Columbia.
1881 Electric streetcar--E.W. v. Siemens (Ger.).
1882 Edison's Pearl Street Station.

First hydroelectric station opens--Appleton, Wisconsin.

1883 Transformer invented--L. Gaulard (Fr.) and J. Gibbs (UK). First electric lighting plant in Canada, Cornwall, Ont.

First electric tramway in USA, Richmond,VA--Sprague design.

1884 Steam turbine invented--C. Parsons (UK). Edison takes control of Edison Light Co.

Streetlights, Montreal and Toronto.

1886 W. Stanley develops transformer and AC electric system (USA). Westinghouse Electric formed.
1888 N. Tesla invents induction motor and polyphase AC system (USA).

O. Shellenberger invents induction motor, first AC meter to measure consumption (USA).
1889 Impulse turbine patent--L. Pelton (USA). Edison General Electric formed.

National Association of Regulatory Commissioners founded as association of railway commissioners.

1890 First execution in electric chair.

The North American Co. formed.

United Electric Securities organized by Thomson-Houston.

1891 Westinghouse transmits hydro AC at 3.3 Kv for 13 miles, Oregon.

C. Brown transmits at 3.0 Kv for 110 miles (Ger).
1892 T. Wilson develops electric furness process to produce calcium carbide (Canada). General Electric (GE) formed by merger of Thomson-Houston and Edison General Electric.

C. Steinmetz, theoretician of AC and mathematician joins GE, beginning corporate industrial research in USA.

1893 Westinghouse displays AC system at Chicago World's Fair.

Folsom Powerhouse in California transmits at 11.0 Kv 3 phase AC, 22 miles to Sacramento.

 AC chosen for Niagara Power.
1895 Niagara station completed.
1896 Niagara line, 11.0 Kv, 3 phase AC, 20 miles Niagara transmission line (Niagara Falls to Buffalo) opened.
1897 J. Thompson discovers electron (UK). C. Yerkes proposes state regulation for streetcars and long franchises.
1898 Smith v. Ames. Supreme Court decrees just compensation on fair value.

S. Insull proposes state regulation of utilities.

1900 Highest voltage transmission line 60 Kv.
1901 Westinghouse offers 3.5 Mw turbine.

2.0 Mw turbine, largest installed in USA.

 First power transmission line between USA and Canada--Niagara Falls.
1902 5.0 Mw turbine for Fisk St. Station, Chicago.
1903 First successful gas turbine (France). World's first all turbine station, Chicago.

Shawinigan Water & Power installs world's largest generator (5000W) and world's largest and highest voltage line--136 Km and 50 Kv (to Montreal).

1905 Work begins on Great Southern Grid, which, by 1914, transmits in N.C., S.C., Ga., and Tenn.

Pacific G&E incorporated.

Electric Bond and Share founded.

Ontario Hydro founded.

1906 Associated G&E incorporated.
1907 Electric vacuum cleaner--J. Spangler (USA).

Electric washing machine--A. Fisher (USA).

 State utility regulation in Mass., N.Y., and Wis.
1909 First pumped storage plant, 1,500 Kw, Schlaffhausen (Switzerland).
1910 Neon lamps.

Tungsten wire filament.

 S. Insull electrifies rural communities.
1911 Air conditioning--W. Carrier (USA).
1912 Largest generator 35 Mw, highest transmission voltage, 150 Kv. Insull starts holding company.
1913 Gas filled incandescent lamps.

First air pollution control device--cinder catcher--T. Murray (USA).

Electric refrigerator--A. Goss (USA).
1914 Illinois forms regulatory agency.
1916 Federal government begins construction of Muscle Shoals, Ala., dam to supply electricity to munitions complex. Origin of TVA.
1919 Atomic fission--E. Rutherford (Can.).
1920 First U.S. station to only burn pulverized coal. Federal Power Commission (FPC).
1922 175 Mw largest generating station. Associated Gas and Electric Incorporated.

Connecticut Valley Power Exchange (CONVEX) starts, pioneering interconnection between utilities.

1923 Television components--V. Zworkyin (USA). Bluefield decision calls for reproduction cost rate base.
1924 Cities Service Power & Light.
1926 A.B. Collins creates Reddy Kilowatt.
1927 First regional power pool, Pennsylvania-New Jersey Interconnection.

Rhode Island PUC v. Attleboro--selling electricity interstate cannot be regulated by state.

1928 Construction of Boulder Dam begins.

F. Whittle publishes thesis proposing gas turbines for aircraft propulsion (UK).

 Federal Trade Commission begins investigation of holding companies.
1929 GE produces 208 Mw generating unit, largest in service through 1953. Commonwealth & Southern and United Corp. organized.

Stock market crashes.

1930 Transmission at 240 Kv.

Jet engine patented--F. Whittle (UK).
1932 Sodium light. Middle West Utilities, National Electric Power, Seaboard P.S. collapse--end of Insull empire.
1933 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) established.
1934 Nuclear chain reaction described--L. Szilard (UK).
1935 Public Utility Holding Co. Act.

Federal Power Act.

Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bonneville Power Administration.

First night baseball game in major leagues (Cincinnati, Ohio).

1936 Highest steam temperature reaches 900 degrees Fahrenheit vs. 600 degrees Fahrenheit in early 1920s.

287 Kv line runs 266 miles to Boulder (Hoover) Dam.

Boulder Dam completed.

 Rural Electrification Act.
1938 Man-made fission of uranium--O. Hahn and F. Strassman (Ger.). Supreme Court affirms Holding Co. Act of 1935 in Electric Bond & Share v. SEC.
1939 First jet flight--engine developed by H.P. von Ohain working with E. Heinkel (Ger.).
1940 Steam pressure in generation reaches 2400 pounds per square inch (psi) vs. 1100 psi in early 1920s. Nonutility generation accounts for 21% of USA total.
1941 First flight with Whittle jet engine (UK).
1942 Sustained nuclear reaction--E. Fermi (USA).
1943 SEC orders divestments of Engineers P.S. subsidiaries, begins breakup of holding companies.
1944 Hydro-Quebec formed.

F.P.C. v. Hope Natural Gas decision establishes new rules for regulation.

1945 Atomic Bomb.
1946 Atomic Energy Act, establishes Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
1947 Transistor invented.

Mercury vapor lamp.

Highest steam temperature in generation reaches 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.
1950 Nonutility generation accounts for 15% of USA total.
1953 First practical nuclear reactor--for submarines.

First 345 Kv transmission line--American Electric Power.

 First nuclear power station ordered--Shippingport, PA.

Atoms for Peace program announced by Eisenhower.

1954 Atomic Energy Act of 1954 allows private ownership of nuclear reactors.
1955 Nuclear submarine Nautilus commissioned by U.S. Navy.

Construction of Shippingport begins.
1956 AEC issues first permits for commercial nuclear plants.

GE begins "Live Better Electrically" campaign.

1957 Generator steam reaches 1150 degrees Fahrenheit and pressure 4500 psi at Philo station, first supercritical unit in USA. Shippingport goes operational. Price Anderson Act promotes nuclear development.

Washington Public Power Supply System formed.

1959 TVA Revenue Act restricts TVA boundaries.
1960 Nonutility generation accounts for 10% of USA total.
1961 SL-1 Excursion accident at Idaho AEC reactor kills three.

Largest generating unit in Canada, 300 Mw.

 First gas turbines placed into service as stationary power sources by U.S. utilities.
1962 First nuclear power in Canada, Rolphton station. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring published, beginning environmental movement.
1963 Clean Air Act.

Columbia River Treaty ratified, opens way for international hydro developments.

1964 500 Kv lines, Virginia and Tennessee. FPC conducts National Power Survey.
1965 First 765 Kv transmission line (Canada). Northeast Blackout.
1966 Accident at Fermi nuclear plant (Michigan). Endangered Species Act.

Hydro development on Nelson River, Manitoba begins.

1967 First commercial CANDU nuclear reactor (Canada). P-J-M power interruption.
1968 National Electric Reliability Council formed.
1969 National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
1970 National Power Survey by FPC.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formed.

Water and Environmental Quality Act.

Clean Air Act of 1970.

Earth Day--April 22.

1972 Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

Clean Water Act of 1972.

Power production begins at Churchill Falls (Canada).

1973 Arab oil embargo begins, price of oil quadruples.

Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Natural gas production peaks.

1974 Number of nuclear plants on order or under construction reached peak. First drop in sales since 1946.

AEC split up into Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Consolidated Edison omits dividend.

Churchill Falls hydro plant completed (Canada).

1975 Brown's Ferry nuclear accident. Thirteen nuclear projects canceled.
1977 New York City blackout.

Department of Energy (DOE) formed.

Carter energy plan.

1978 Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) passed, ends utility monopoly over generation.

Natural Gas Policy Act partially deregulates wellhead prices.

Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act limits use of natural gas in electric generation (repealed 1987).

U.S. Supreme Court affirms primacy of FERC ratesetting in Narragansett decision.

1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident.

N. Wertheimer and E. Leeper publish studies linking EMF to cancer (USA).

 Hydro-Quebec's James Bay project begins operation (Canada).

Oil prices jump $11 due to Iranian Revolution.

1980 First U.S. windfarm (N.H.). Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act establishes regional regulation and planning.
1981 PURPA ruled unconstitutional by Federal judge--Mississippi (decisions overturned 1982).
1982 Shippingport retired from service.

Record drop of 19 plants from list of nuclear plants in operation, under construction, or ordered.

 Nuclear Waste Policy Act directs DOE to build geological repository for waste.

U.S. Supreme Court upholds legality of PURPA in FERC v. Mississippi (456 US 742).

1983 First denial of operating license by NRC (Byron, #1, Illinois). Washington Public Power Supply System defaults on $2.25 billion of bonds due to inability to complete five nuclear reactors.

P.S. of Indiana cancels Marble Hill nuclear plant, cuts dividend.

Cincinnati G&E suspends Zimmer as nuclear project, announces conversion of Zimmer to coal.

Production of electricity from nonutility sources hits lowest level since 1950.

1984 Annapolis, N.S., tidal power plant--first of its kind in North America (Canada).
1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident (USSR).
1987 Nonutility generation exceeds 5% of USA total for first time since 1974.
1988 NASA scientist J. Hansen tells Congress that greenhouse effect already taking place. Public Service of New Hampshire files for bankruptcy due to nuclear project--first utility bankruptcy in more than 50 years.

FERC approves merger of Pacific P&L and Utah P&L with conditions that require transmission access for other utilities--precursor of program to open transmission networks.

1989 Shippingport becomes first nuclear plant in world to be decommissioned to "greenfield" condition.

Series on EMF by P. Brodeur begins in New Yorker (USA).

 Long Island Lighting sells Shoreham nuclear plant to state: first completed and commissioned nuclear plant to be abandoned without commercial operation.
1990 Clean Air Act amendments mandate additional pollution controls.

Nonutility generation reaches record level.

1992 National Energy Policy Act.
1993 Commercial production of variable speed wind turbine begins (USA). TransAlta, largest investor-owned utility in Canada, files for unbundled rates that would allow retail wheeling if approved.

Credit agencies tighten bond rating standards to reflect increasing competition and risk in electric utility business.

1994 California PUC launches inquiry into the structure of utilities, proposes retail wheeling as a possible outcome in a phased transition.

Michigan launches multi-year retail wheeling experiment.

FPL Group cuts dividend, possibly the first electric utility to reduce dividend as a matter of financial policy rather than from financial necessity.

Source: This table is from America's Electric Utilities: Past, Present and Future, 5th edition by Leonard S. Hyman. Reprinted with special permission by Public Utilities Reports, Inc., Vienna, Virginia. Copyright 1995 by Public Utilities Reports, Inc. Additional photocopying prohibited.



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