ABSTRACT
In 1886, George Westinghouse built the first long-distance ac electric lighting system in Great
Barrington, Massachusetts. The power source was a 25-hp steam engine driving an alternator with an
output of 500 V and 12 A. In the middle of town, 4,000 ft away, transformers were used to reduce the
voltage to serve light bulbs located in nearby stores and offices (Powel, 1997).
