Early three-phase power [History]

The early decades of what became known as the "Electric Age" were marked by the efforts of outstanding engineers, inventors, and entrepreneurs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to develop a power supply system to best meet electrical generation, transmission, distribution, and customer utilization requirements. This article is a fascinating account of the development and evolution of alternating current (ac) and polyphase systems with special emphasis on the development of three-phase ac power, the prevailing system that today enjoys worldwide use.