Page "Electricity generation" Paragraph 6

Central power stations became economically practical with the development of alternating current power transmission, using power transformers to transmit power at high voltage and with low loss.

Electricity has been generated at central stations since 1881.

The first power plants were run on water power or coal, and today we rely mainly on coal, nuclear, natural gas, hydroelectric, and petroleum with a small amount from solar energy, tidal harnesses, wind generators, and geothermal sources.