Chapter 15. Electric Grid

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Have you ever wondered how electricity flows into your house and powers all your devices? Let’s discuss how electricity gets to your room!

**Powering the World:** Electricity is first generated in a place called a power plant. This picture shows a nuclear power plant.

Electricity is first generated by power stations. Power stations are massive electrical plants that, well, produce electricity! Power plants use different sources of energy, like coal, gas, wind, water, and nuclear power.

Once electricity is produced, it can be sent along transmission wires. Transmission wires transmit, or carry, electricity over large distances. These wires lose some of the electric power. So, a “step up” transformer increases the electric power going into transmission lines. This transformer makes sure enough electricity is sent to the end of the transmission wire. These wires crisscross the country. So, transmission wires create transmission networks. Networks of wires help make sure people do not lose power as easily.

***The Flow of Electricity:*** *A diagram showing the step-by-step process that send electricity from a power station all the w*ay *to your home. Adapted from smartgrid.gov. Note: “Step up” transformers are often within the power plant.*

At the end of the transmission wire, a “step down” transformer decrease the strength of the electric current. This second transformer makes the electricity safer. Before electricity can enter any buildings, it must pass through a “step down” transformer. These substation transformers connect to distribution power lines. The distribution power lines let electricity flow to your neighborhood and your house. The electricity comes into a fuse box that makes sure the amount of power each area of your house uses is a safe amount. The wires from your fuse box go to all the outlets in your house.

Power plants are huge. Bigger than your school building. Your outlet in your bedroom is tiny. It takes hours to charge a little cell phone! The system between the power plant and your outlet moves the electricity to everyone AND makes sure that a safe amount of electricity is delivered to the right place. These systems have lots of pieces to make sure it is safe and works well.

In summary, your TV and microwave work because they use electricity. This electricity is created by a power plant and then increased so it can be sent along transmission lines. When it gets close to your house, a substation, makes the amount of electricity safe. Then, it travels through distribution wires to your house. Your house has a fuse box which makes sure all the wires in your house are acting safely. Including the small outlet connected to your TV’s plug. The TV uses electricity to receive information sent by the television network. It uses more electricity to transform this information into the sounds and pictures of your favorite programs!