The Electricity War (2018)
In the late 1880s, a fierce battle unfolded between two brilliant minds: George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison. Their clash was not fought on a battlefield but within the realm of electricity—the War of Currents. At the heart of this conflict were competing visions for powering the modern world.
Edison, the inventor of the incandescent light bulb, championed direct current (DC) for electric power distribution. His system worked well with incandescent lamps and motors, but it had limitations. Direct current generators could be paralleled, allowing economical operation during light load periods, but it lacked a practical AC motor. Edison’s meter for billing customers was designed exclusively for DC.
Enter Nikola Tesla, a brilliant mathematician and physicist. Tesla had a radical idea: alternating current (AC). He partnered with Westinghouse to commercialize this system. AC had significant advantages—it could be transmitted over long distances, transformed efficiently, and worked seamlessly with AC motors. Tesla’s mathematical understanding of AC set him apart from Edison.
But beneath the technical rivalry lay personal animosity. Tesla had been cheated by Edison and denied promised compensation for his work. Edison dismissed Tesla’s AC idea initially, only to later regret it. The stakes were high—patent royalties, technological dominance, and the future of electrical power.
As the battle raged, Westinghouse and Tesla pushed for AC, while Edison clung to DC. The race intensified, with both sides vying for supremacy. The world watched as the War of Currents unfolded, shaping the course of history.
The Electricity War delves into this captivating struggle, exploring the clash of genius, ambition, and innovation. It reveals how these pioneers transformed our world, laying the groundwork for the electrical systems we rely on today. Through archival footage, expert interviews, and dramatic reenactments, the series illuminates the electrifying saga that forever changed the way we live.
In a world where power is synonymous with progress, The Electricity War reminds us that behind every switch, wire, and socket lies a fascinating story—a war fought not with guns, but with volts and currents.
