07/13/2026
On July 13, 1895, the first long-distance transmission of hydroelectric power from the Folsom Hydroelectric Plant (now known as the Folsom Powerhouse) to Sacramento, California occurred on what was then the longest transmission line in the world. The 22-mile transmission line, powered by high-voltage alternating current generators, expanded the Sacramento Electric Power and Light Company to extend streetcar lines into suburbs in Sacramento, provide street lights in the city, and provided power to the Southern Pacific railyards and other factories.
This major event called for a celebration in Sacramento that took place on September 9, 1895, called the “Grand Electric Carnival.” The Folsom Powerhouse remained in operation until November 1952. In 1958, Pacific Gas & Electric Company donated the Folsom Powerhouse to California State Parks and it operates today as a museum.
Postcard of the Folsom Powerhouse in 1911 from the Sacramento Room Postcards Collection, courtesy of the Sacramento Public Library.
