Which New York power station, opened in 1882, supplied electricity to Edison’s first commercial system?

Pearl Street Station supplied Edison’s first commercial electric-lighting system in New York.

Pearl Street Station began operating in lower Manhattan in 1882. It was a central power station that generated direct current and distributed electricity through underground conductors to nearby customers. The station initially served a limited area rather than an entire city.

Its opening marked an important step in moving electric lighting from demonstrations and private installations into a commercial utility business. Edison’s system included generators, wiring, meters, lamps, and operating procedures, so the station was part of a complete network rather than an isolated invention.

The station used steam engines to drive generators and expanded as demand grew. One of its generating buildings was destroyed by fire in 1890. Pearl Street is often described as the first commercial central power station in the United States, while other early stations operated in Europe. Edison’s direct-current networks were later challenged by alternating-current systems, which could transmit power over longer distances more efficiently.