Edison was certainly not one to give in easily, and he did all he could to promote his DC technology and to give a bad name to AC. Towards the end of the 19th century, he held demonstrations in which animals were electrocuted with AC — just to convince the people that alternating current was dangerous. There was also the instance of the New York State installing its first electric chair, to carry out death sentences. It was built using alternative current: what better way to give AC an unpleasant image?
But all his efforts were in vain, and AC went on to win the race. An important contract was granted to Westinghouse to construct the AC generators for a hydro-electric power plant at the Niagara Falls. The plant started to supply electricity in 1896 to places as far as 42 Kms away. After this, AC soon came to dominate the power sector.
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