U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for September 30

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: HYDROELECTRIC POWER

Profile America — Monday, September 30th.  On this date in 1882, the world's first hydroelectric power plant began operating on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin.  Inspired by Thomas Edison, a man named H.F. Rogers built the facility, using a water wheel to power the lights in the two mills of the Appleton Paper and Pulp Company, a nearby building, and his home. Soon, hydroelectric power plants were spurring industrial growth in many parts of the country.  Now, water-generated electricity accounts for 7 percent of power in the U.S., and is most important in the west.  Nationally, most of the nearly 4 trillion kilowatt hours of electricity generated is from coal-fired plants, followed by those using natural gas, and nuclear power.  You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Kane's Famous First Facts, 3462
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/sep30.html
Statistics Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 948

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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http://www.census.gov