100 years ago Friday a switch was thrown at PG&E’s Pit One Powerhouse near Fall River Mills that sent 220,000 volts of electricity to a substation 220 miles away in Vacaville. It was the longest and highest voltage transmission line anywhere in the world at that time. It was a great demonstration of how effective and reliable hydroelectric power can be as a clean energy source. The construction of the powerhouse began in 1919 and it took 857 men employed every day for 26 months to build the powerhouse and the 2 mile tunnel and pipe system connected to the Pit River. To celebrate the 100th anniversary PG&E is giving $50,000 each for STEM education programs in Eastern Shasta County Schools and in Solano County where the transmission line ended.