Evolution of electric power systems

Abstract

Imagine your favourite TV show or football game is about to begin, in the peak of summer, and the electricity trips. There’s no light, no cooling and none of the appliances work. We take electricity supply for granted, assuming that it has been there forever and that the technology has not changed. However, electric power systems are historically a rather new development. Experimentation of domestic electric arrangements started in 1882 with Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb and his Electric Light Company. The first power systems were born. These were steam powered direct current (DC)generators that provided electricity that was then delivered at a low voltage via cables to customers to light up their homes. Domestic electric light became popular very quickly, and more and more customers were connected to the DC voltage power system.