SHE WHO TAMED LIGHTNING!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 28, 2025 SHE WHO TAMED LIGHTNING! Hertha Marks Ayrton was a pioneering scientist and inventor, born on April 28, 1854. Known as the “tamer of lightning,” she even wrote a book on the subject — The Electric Arc — published in 1902. She was the first woman to be elected […]
OBNINSK NUCLEAR PLANT CLOSED!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 30, 2025 OBNINSK NUCLEAR PLANT CLOSED! 22:37 The Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant, located in Obninsk, Russia, was the world’s first grid-connected nuclear power plant. It began operations on June 27, 1954, with a small electrical capacity of 5 megawatts. Designed primarily as an experimental reactor, Obninsk played a crucial role […]
SAMUEL MOREY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 17, 2025 SAMUEL MOREY 21:30Samuel Morey was an American inventor known for his pioneering work in steam and internal combustion engines. Born in Hebron, Connecticut, he later settled in Orford, New Hampshire, where he conducted much of his research. Morey experimented with steam-powered boats and successfully demonstrated a steamboat on […]
A REVOLUTIONARY PATENT!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 25, 2025 A REVOLUTIONARY PATENT! On April 25, 1961, Robert Noyce was awarded a patent for the integrated circuit (IC) — a breakthrough that revolutionized electronics and paved the way for modern energy systems. ICs significantly increased efficiency, enabling the development of smart grids, digital controls, and energy-efficient systems that […]
CARTER’S ENERGY PLAN!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 18, 2025 CARTER’S ENERGY PLAN! On April 18, 1977, President Jimmy Carter delivered his first major energy speech, unveiling the National Energy Plan — a bold response to the 1970s energy crisis. His plan emphasized energy conservation, renewable energy development, and reducing dependence on foreign oil. A key outcome was […]
THE SPINDLETOP GUSHER IGNITES THE TEXAS OIL BOOM
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY October 27, 2025 THE SPINDLETOP GUSHER IGNITES THE TEXAS OIL BOOM On October 27, 1900, drillers at Spindletop Hill, near Beaumont, Texas, struck one of the most iconic oil gushers in history. Crude erupted more than 100 feet into the air, with an estimated production of 100,000 barrels per day — […]
RAILROADS, SAFER AND FASTER!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 29, 2025 RAILROADS, SAFER AND FASTER! On April 29, 1873, Eli Janney received a patent for the automatic railroad car coupling, a game-changing innovation that improved both safety and efficiency in rail transportation. By eliminating the dangerous manual coupling process, Janney’s invention allowed trains to operate more smoothly and reliably, […]
USS THRESHER, A TRAGEDY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 10, 2025 USS THRESHER, A TRAGEDY The USS Thresher (SSN-593) was a nuclear-powered attack submarine commissioned at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. As the lead vessel of her class, Thresher was designed to operate at greater depths and speeds than earlier submarines. On April 10, 1963, following an […]
TEAPOT DOME SCANDAL!
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 7, 2025 TEAPOT DOME SCANDAL! The Teapot Dome Scandal, one of the biggest political corruption cases in U.S. history, began on April 7, 1922, when U.S. Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall secretly leased Teapot Dome oil reserves in Wyoming and Elk Hills oil reserves in California to private […]
GRANVILLE T. WOODS
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 23, 2025 GRANVILLE T. WOODS Granville T. Woods was born on April 23, 1856, and became a pioneering African American inventor and engineer, making significant contributions to railway and electrical systems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Often called the “Black Edison,” he held over 50 patents, many […]