answersLogoWhite

0


Verified answer

Energy Delivery -- Getting Power from the Plant to Your Home

Generating energy and distributing it to hundreds of thousands of users is a complex process. Energy is created in a variety of ways. For example, CPS Energy uses a diverse menu of fuels, including coal, natural gas, nuclear power and renewable energy, to provide reliable electrical service to its customers. Once this energy is generated, it must be delivered through a sophisticated distribution system before it reaches your home or business.

Step One:

Stepping Up the Voltage

Electricity is generated at 20,000 volts at a typical power plant, generating station or wind farm. After electricity is generated, it first travels through a transformer that "steps up" or increases the voltage to either 138,000 volts (138 KV) or 345,000 volts (345 KV) to allow it to travel more efficiently over a long distance through large transmission lines carried by steel transmission towers. CPS Energy maintains more than 1,400 miles of transmission lines and over 6,600 transmission towers.

Step Two:

Stepping Down from Transmission

to Distribution

Transmission lines carry ramped-up electricity to distribution substations located throughout our 1,566-square-mile service area. Banks of Transformers at more than 100 substations "step down" or decrease the electricity's voltage to 34,500 volts (34.5 KV) or 13,800 volts (13.8 KV) so it can travel through smaller distribution lines and make its way to specific residential and commercial districts throughout the service area.

Step Three:

Heading for Home

More than 7,500 miles of distribution lines across Greater San Antonio branch out through neighborhoods, sending the electricity through overhead or underground power lines. The power lines connect to transformers located on "telephone" poles or underground near a home or business. Transformers, more than 206,000 in our customer service area, reduce the voltage of electricity again so it can be safely delivered into your home and business.

From transformers, electricity travels into buildings through wires called service drops. The service drops connect to a meter box, which measures the amount of electricity being used by a customer. The drops also connect to all of the wires that run inside a home or building's walls to outlets and switches.

When an electrical device is plugged in, electricity flows from electrical wires in the wall through a plug's metal prongs, which then carries power through the appliance cord to the motor of the appliance. After powering the device, it then flows back through the appliance cord to the outlet, out to the wires and into the grid again.

User Avatar

Wiki User

7y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Anonymous

Lvl 1
4y ago

Idk

This answer is:
User Avatar
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

How much of the energy in burning coal reaches the consumer as electricity?

One third of coal's energy reaches the consumer.


What type of energy conversion takes place in a doorbell?

Kinetic energy from the finger is converted to electrical energy when the button completes the circuit. Then when the electrical energy reaches the bell it is converted into sound energy.


How do you get energy through solar panels?

Solar panels use the energy of the sun to operate. Some panels will produce an electrical current when sunlight reaches them. Others use fluid filled pipes to turn the sun's energy into heat. With either method, energy from the sun reaches the panel as radiated energy and is converted to electrical or heat energy.


How does the electrical energy coming from the power plant reachest the customer?

The electrical energy generated at the generating station reaches the consumer through the transmission and distribution systems. The transmission system generally consists of overhead transmission lines, towers, safety equipment and transformers and is used to transmit the generated electricity to the load centres (i.e. places where electrical energy is consumed). This energy is then distributed to various consumers using the distribution system - which consists of underground cables, overhead lines, transformers, safety equipment etc etc...


What are some consumer products or services that come from or are created for the electrical energy generation sector sectors?

it was JIMMY CARTER:)


How will hydro electric energy be used?

It will go into the electric power grid and be used as any other form of electricity - by the time it reaches the consumer the source is unknown


How can you describe electrical energy?

Electrical energy is the energy in electricity - mainly in electrical currents.


Transformation of electrical energy to sound energy?

Electrical to kinetic to electrical energy in your cells


How formed electrical energy?

Electrical energy can be formed by solar, wind or hydro energy. This energy is transformed into electrical energy.


Electrical energy thermal energy?

The electrical energy of thermal energy is called kinetic energy. An example of electrical energy converted to thermal energy is a toaster drawing current from an electrical outlet.


Name two common energy conversions involving electrical energy?

electrical energy to heat energy or electrical energy into kinetic energy


Why is less resistance for a conductor wire good?

Resistance in a wire restricts the movement of the electrons through the wire. This restriction transfers some of the energy contained in the electrons into the material of the wire and as this energy accumulates in the material of the wire the wire starts to heat. Therefore, there the energy that is transferred into the wire material is considered wasted because it is not available as electrical energy, which means the consumer who is using that wire is charge for the electrical energy that is waste. It the resistance is less in that conductor the consumer will save money.