An unresolved question for my readers. This came up in the course of a heated discussion which threw up questions but no answers.
You needed power generators to make investing in inventing electrical appliances such as light bulbs and pumps worthwhile. But it wouldn’t be worth setting up power plants unless there was a market for it. So how did this get resolved?
Answers with suitable references will get extra credit. As a prize, the first person to answer correctly and comprehensively will be invited to my wedding*.

*So will all my other readers, but I think you should answer anyway.