Mitch’s Hand Drawn Map of the History of the American Electric Grid

Get to know Mitch and learn a little about the history of the American electric grid

Life is full of surprises.

I never appreciate this fact more than when I reflect on how I ended up creating a hand-drawn map of the electric grid, to commemorate an industry I never imagined working in.

My original dream was to be an architect. I loved building things and drawing – so it seemed perfect. Somehow, I ended up graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2018 with a degree in history and a minor in Jewish studies.

I never imagined this background would lead to a career in energy policy.

But in a way, it’s a perfect fit – considering the perks of the job and the circumstances that led me here. As a policy fellow for energy, not only do I get to dive into the history of the grid and the policies that have succeeded or failed, but I also get to debate rigorously about technologies and engineering capabilities, educate readers, and speak uncomfortable truths – which is mine and Isaac’s favorite part.

Why is this perfect? For one, I was considered a “goon” in hockey, so I love a good fight. Second, I was originally in college for a degree in mechanical engineering. It wasn’t the math-intensive courses that scared me away, but a lifestyle change that prompted me toward a different career path. (My conversion to Judaism played a huge role here).

Rather than discarding a love for technology, engineering, and innovation, I combined it with my love for history and education.

So, here’s a rundown of my hand-drawn map of the electric grid: a minor tribute to the machine that makes our modern world keep spinning and all the people who helped build it.

These are brief summaries of the history behind everything included, so I’ve provided tons of links for readers who wish to discover more.

The History of the Grid

The systems spearheaded by the pioneers of the modern electrical grid, such as Thomas Edison's centralized power plants and Nikola Tesla’s alternating-current generators, led to a period of unprecedented economic growth and human prosperity unmatched in history.

These achievements are now taken for granted, even while we continue to benefit from them.

Before electricity, when humans were over-reliant on favorable weather conditions, there were constant famines, food shortages, deaths, and horrors that were often unavoidable.

Today, we are the beneficiaries of one of the largest machines in the world – one that has supplied every household with several time-saving appliances for tasks that, in past times, would’ve only been possible with a team of servants.

I wanted something to look at that would remind me just how great of an achievement our electrical system is, and just how important it is not to destroy it with ineffective, inefficient policies that would have us revert to the past and become over-reliant on the weather once again.

The Transmission System and Power Plants

When you see it in its entirety, you can’t help but think, “How the Hell did we build this?”

I included every transmission line in the country over 115 kV and a few of the largest power plants in the country – Grand Coulee, Palo Verde, etc. – in each region and for each electricity source.

I added the Sherburne County coal-fired power plant (Sherco) in Minnesota because, in addition to being one of the largest power plants in the Midwest, it’s the facility Isaac and I have been defending in our work since day one. Despite numerous NERC reports stressing the need for dispatchable capacity in MISO for reliability concerns, grid planners in Minnesota and at Xcel Energy have continued with plans to shut down Sherco units years before their original retirement date and replace it with intermittent wind and solar energy.

Originally, the map had no wind or solar plants because they are so much smaller compared to baseload and dispatchable sources. However, while I don’t prefer them, I couldn’t bring myself to ignore them. I ended up including the largest facilities of each resource – Solar Star in California and Traverse Wind in Oklahoma.

The Dynamo

The dynamo was one of the first electricity generators in the world and ran on direct current (DC).

Ironically enough, it was during the making of the dynamo that alternating-current (AC) was discovered by Michael Faraday, but because he was unsure of how to deal with the larger power, he simply developed a way to work around it.

Dynamos were enhanced by the work of Hippolyte Pixii in France and they were brought to the United States by Charles F. Brush in the late 1800s to power his arc lamps. While the dynamo would soon become outdated, at one point they powered 80 percent of all streetlamps in America, cementing its importance in the history of the electricity grid.

Brush’s dynamos were small, however, and weren’t centralized – meaning they couldn’t power multiple users at once. Thomas Edison changed this, and he utilized the dynamo to build his much larger power stations that became the first centralized power plants in world history.

Edison Electric Illuminating Light Company

The Edison Electric Illuminating Light Company brought the first centralized electricity grid in the world to America.

The Pearl Street Station was the first power plant in downtown Manhattan. At the time, it was the largest dynamo generator that had ever been built and used coal as its primary fuel source. Other energy sources were available – such as hydro and even wind – but coal was chosen because it was more readily available for constant use and inexpensive (lessons we are relearning today).

While Edison would lose the War of Currents, his work at Edison Electric was instrumental in establishing the framework of electricity service based on the distribution systems of gas companies already in existence at the time.

After Edison introduced Pearl Street to the states, over 1,000 power plants popped up across the nation attempting to mimic its success. Needless to say, Edison revolutionized America and the world with his innovations in the electric industry.

Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison and the War of Currents

The War of Currents is one of the more consequential events in the history of the electric grid.

Thomas Edison’s direct-current-powered systems were pitted against those of George Westinghouse, which utilized alternating-current systems that were brought to America by Nikola Tesla.

The ascendancy of AC power was likely inevitable, as it was inherently better at powering users over longer distances.

To add to the list of American pioneers employed by Edison, Tesla originally found work in the United States at Edison Machine Works after being brought in from the Continental Edison Company in Paris. While in Paris, Tesla’s work involving installing incandescent lighting systems allowed him to gain experience as an electrical engineer.

This experience would serve Tesla well in America. After his improvements focusing on AC-power upgrades were declined by the Edison company, fearing the loss of royalties for its DC systems, Tesla left the company, created his AC-powered generator, and sold the rights to George Westinghouse for $60,000.

In time, there was a full-blown competition for the future of the power grid between Edison and his DC-powered generators and Westinghouse’s AC, sparking controversial accusations and demonstrations by Edison, who was attempting to paint AC as being dangerous. Several dozen animals (mostly stray dogs) paid the ultimate price for this fruitless endeavor, as AC power would eventually win the day.

Shippingport

I didn’t start my career as a nuclear advocate, but the (insane) nature of the industry nudged me into the fringes of the category. Over time, though, I’ve grown to respect the history of nuclear and the capabilities of the technology going forward. If any technology can lead to an electrical grid with substantially lower emissions, it’s nuclear energy.

It’s for that reason I included the first nuclear plant in the country, Shippingport – built as part of President Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace program.

It wasn’t the largest nuclear power plant of its time, but it was instrumental in the growth of nuclear power in the states. As Duke Energy explains:

“Shippingport broadened opportunities for atomic research and paved the way for new nuclear plant construction.  Forty-six nuclear reactors were commissioned around the country in the 1980s alone.  By the time of Shippingport’s decommissioning in 1989, 109 nuclear reactors were generating about 19 percent of the nation’s electricity, becoming the second-largest power source in the U.S., with coal still the frontrunner.”

For lovers of American history, the golden era of nuclear generation in the U.S. showcases how innovative we can be as a nation if our policies allow our creative energies to be unleashed.

Samuel Insull

I included Samuel Insull because, more than anyone, he is responsible for the existence of the regulated utility company.

Similar to Tesla, Insull also found employment with Edison early on. He felt he had been passed over for a promotion, so he left for Chicago to start his own thing – which ended up becoming the largest utility empire in the country spanning 5,000 towns and 32 states.

His innovations transformed the grid, from employing time-of-use rates, adopting AC power nationwide, employing economies of scale, establishing monopoly control through buying out competitors and arguing for the regulation of utility companies as natural monopolies.

While a pioneer of the modern grid, Insull’s empire collapsed during the depression, and he died broke in Europe, living off the pension from his former companies.

The United States Electrical Grid

There you have it! Everything I included on my hand-drawn map of the United States electrical grid.

If you enjoy this map and want it for yourself, I made copies for people to order it on Etsy, or you can also get a copy by becoming a Founding Member by pledging to our Substack.

Thanks for reading and being part of the Energy Bad Boys community.