How does electricity get to a plug?

Answer 1

1. The electricity is produced by large generators in a power plant.
2. Transformers in the power plant yard step up the voltage to more than half a million volts used by the power transmission lines.
3. Power transmission lines carry the electricity over long distances between the power plants and cities.
4. Transformers in a switching yard step the voltage down to 1000 to 5000 volts used by power distribution lines.
5. Power distribution lines carry the electricity short distances between the switching yard and the customer locations.
6. Service drop transformers on the pole or underground step the voltage down to the voltage needed by the customer (e.g. 220 volts center taped for household, 240 volt 3 phase for commercial, 480 volt 3 phase for industrial).
7. Service drop lines carry the electricity from the service drop transformer to the customer's electric meter.
8. Internal main wiring carries the electricity from the electric meter to the breaker box.
9. Wires from the breakers in the breaker box to outlets carry the electricity to the outlet sockets.
10. When you put a plug in an outlet socket, the plug gets electricity.