Energy Timeline By Profile Jan 1, 1748 Commercial production of coal begins Commercial production of coal in the United States begins Jan 1, 1816 Baltimore becomes the first American city to have gas street lights Dec 25, 1830 The South Carolina Railroad's train, Best Friend of Charleston, is the first successful steam locomotive Aug 28, 1859 The first oil well is drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania Nov 4, 1879 Edison patents the electric lightbulb. Soon this invention will light America into the 20th century. Sep 30, 1882 The first hydroelectric plant opens in Wisconsin, supplying electricity to 3 buildings Oct 1, 1908 Henry Ford begins to mass produce the gasoline powered Model T. Gasoline would become the prevailing fuel of the automobile. Dec 1, 1957 With promises of electricity "too cheap to meter", the Shippingport Atomic Power Station was the first commercial nuclear reactor in the United States Oct 1, 1973 In 1973, OPEC proclaimed an oil embargo against the U.S, which caused high gasoline prices and shortages of other fossil fuels. Mar 28, 1979 A partial core meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant caused a scare and the public called for a reduction of nuclear power.
