Modern Comforts: The Electric Grid

Learn how the pioneering work of Edith Clarke played a key role in developing today's safe, reliable electric grid.

Modern-Comforts-The-Electric-Grid

Before the grid brought electricity to homes, people lit rooms with candles — lots of candles.

The calculations needed to construct long-distance power lines were complicated. Electrical engineer Edith Clarke thought of a way to speed up the process and remove errors in the electric grid. In 1921, Clarke filed a patent for her "Clarke Calculator," which simplified the difficult equations needed to understand electric transmission lines.

Clarke started her career as a human "computer." She eventually became the first professionally employed female electrical engineer. Her work opened the door for the smart grid technology we have today. So, the next time you turn on your safe, reliable, flame-free lights, you can thank Edith Clarke.