Edison's First Hydroelectric Plant Opens: Power from Water
The world's first commercial hydroelectric plant didn't power a city — it powered one paper mill and a few homes in Appleton, Wisconsin. H.J. Rogers, a local paper manufacturer, convinced Edison to build it along the Fox River, and on September 30, 1882, it lit up his house. The plant generated about 12.5 kilowatts. For context, a modern hair dryer pulls more. But it proved the idea worked without a single battery. Every dam-powered city on Earth traces a line back to that Wisconsin mill.
September 30, 1882
144 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on September 30
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