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The Santa Radegonda power plant, built in Milan and inaugurated on June 28, 1883, based on a design by Giuseppe Colombo, was the first thermoelectric power plant in Italy and the first in continental Europe, following the power plants at Holborn in London (June 1882) and Pearl Street in Manhattan (September 1882).The power plant was commissioned and financed by the "Comitato promotore per le applicazioni dell'energia elettrica in Italia." The Banca Generale, a member of the Committee, purchased and made available the old theater on Via Santa Radegonda, which was demolished. A new building was built in its place. The power plant had access from Via Santa Radegonda (hence the name) and overlooked the parallel Via Agnello, near the apse of the cathedral and named after the historic Santa Radegonda monastery.The power plant operated on Edison's direct-current system and supplied power for the electric lighting of businesses in the vicinity of Piazza del Duomo, including Caffè Biffi and the Bocconi warehouses (now La Rinascente), as well as for the Teatro Manzoni in Piazza San Fedele and, beginning in late 1883, for the Teatro alla Scala.In 1926, the power plant was demolished to build the Odeon cinema.
