Milestones

Niagara Falls AC Power

1895

Citation Formats

General Reference

Energy Atlas. "Niagara Falls AC Power." Accessed August 29, 2026. https://dev-energy.interactiveatlas.org/milestones/niagara-falls-power-1895.

APA Style

Energy Atlas. (n.d.). Niagara Falls AC Power. Retrieved August 29, 2026, from https://dev-energy.interactiveatlas.org/milestones/niagara-falls-power-1895

BibTeX

@misc{energyatlas-niagara-falls-ac-power,
  author = {Energy Atlas},
  title = {Niagara Falls AC Power},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-energy.interactiveatlas.org/milestones/niagara-falls-power-1895},
  note = {Accessed August 29, 2026}
}

In 1895 the Adams Power Plant at Niagara Falls began generating polyphase alternating current with Westinghouse machinery built on the Tesla patents, transmitting power 26 miles to Buffalo the next year. It settled the war of currents in favor of AC and proved that electricity could be generated where the energy was and delivered where the people were.

Facts

Milestone Year

1895 1

Location

Niagara Falls, New York, United States 1

Cross-Tradition Connections

Credited To

George Westinghouse

The Adams plant ran Westinghouse machinery built on the Tesla polyphase patents.

Source Encyclopedia Britannica

Nikola Tesla

The polyphase system the plant used was licensed from the Tesla patents.

Source Encyclopedia Britannica

Sources

1. Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source

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