Power Distribution to Your Home

Have you ever considered how easy it is to flip a switch or push a button and instantly have a light turn on?  You can simply grab the television remote and turn on the TV to watch the local news.  It seems so simple, but how does power get to your home from a power plant?

It all starts at a power plant.  Energy has to be generated here in order to be transferred to your home.  Steam is generated at the power plant by burning fossil fuels.  This steam powers a turbine, which spins a huge magnet that is inside a loop of copper wire.  This transforms heat energy into mechanical energy, which is then converted to electrical energy using a generator.

This energy is then sent to a step-up transformer, where the voltage from the generator is converted to an extremely high voltage.  Distribution voltages can range from 155,000 to 765,000 volts (Brain)! The reason for the extremely high voltages is so that the power can be transferred long distances.  After the voltage is amplified, the electricity is sent to transmission lines that transfer the energy.  After the electricity has neared its destination, it is sent to a substation(neighborhood transformer), where the voltage is stepped down, typically lower than 7,500 volts (Brain).

http://www.solarschools.net/resources/stuff/power_station_to_us.aspx

The power is then sent to a distribution line, and eventually another transformer, where it is stepped down again to either 120 or 240 volts.  Standard voltage is american homes is 120 volts, while some countries around the world use 240 volts.  This power can then be used to turn on a light bulb, keep your refrigerator cold, or power your television.

Here is an extremely cheesy, but effective video that explains the process as to how electricity is distributed.



Works Cited:
Brain, M. (n.d.). How Power Grids Work. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.science.smith.edu/~jcardell/Courses/EGR220/ElecPwr_HSW.html