在北美,相信交流电这一新技术的人是乔治·威斯汀豪斯,他愿意投资这项技术,并雇佣了威廉·史坦雷来研发新型的升压和降压变压器以应用在输电系统中。[16]在史坦雷离开西屋公司后,Oliver B. Shallenberger(英语:Oliver B. Shallenberger)接管了交流电项目。1888年7月,威斯汀豪斯得到了尼古拉·特斯拉的多相交流感应电机和变压器专利许可,并聘请特斯拉作为顾问在西屋公司匹兹堡实验室工作一年。[17]威斯汀豪斯购买了加利莱奥·费拉里斯的一个感应电机的专利,希望能够取代特斯拉的专利,因为他认为他不得不花很多的钱来确保特斯拉的专利许可。[18]威斯汀豪斯还另外购买了Lucien Gaulard(英语:Lucien Gaulard)和John Dixon Gibbs的交流变压器专利。[19]
“电流战争”通常被理解为威斯汀豪斯与爱迪生之间的斗争,但是实际上远远不止这些。“电流战争”涉及到很多美国和欧洲公司,这些公司都在电力分配系统中有巨额投资,他们都希望自己的电力分配系统能取得更大的市场份额。[20]
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