How Electricity Gets to Your Home and Who’s Involved
Electricity is one of the many important necessities in the U.S. For many, electricians are the people that matter the most when something electrically goes wrong in their house that needs fixing. But there is a process that many people forget that allows your home to be powered up so you can use your TV, lights, Internet, microwave…and so much more. There are key players within the process of electricity transmission and distribution that make the KB Electric electricians matter. For without the other players in the game that distribute, transmit, and generate this form of energy, your KB electricians wouldn’t exist….the world wouldn’t exist! Let’s explore the process of how electricity travels to your house and who the main players are that power up your home.
Step 1: Electricity is Made
Electricity is first generated by either fossil fuels or renewable energy (solar, wind, water etc.) at power plants.
Who’s Involved? The people that operate power plants do many different things depending on how the electricity is being produced at the plant (from coal, water, wind, solar etc.). There are some things that are standard in almost every type of plant, like boiler and turbine operators. A boiler operator in a power plant heats water to move the turbines that produce the electricity. A turbine operator monitors the speed and temperature of the turbines. Other jobs in a power plant include dispatchers and switchboard operators who work with the boiler and turbine operators to make sure the right amount of electricity is flowing out of the plants and to the customers.
Step 2: Electricity is Transmitted
After electricity is made, the voltage needs to be increased at a transformer station to travel long distances through high voltage transmission lines. These transmission lines will then transmit it to substations, where the voltage is then decreased to be sent to smaller power lines.
Who’s Involved? The people that work on the high voltage transmission lines (electrical linesman) are responsible for repairing, installing, and maintaining these lines to ensure proper transmission to the substations. Let’s not forget the people who make, install, maintain, and repair the transformers that increase and decrease voltage for transmission.
Step 3: Electricity is Distributed
Distribution lines are the next step, which distribute electricity to the power lines outside your home. Small transformers on the power lines decrease the voltage again so that the electricity can run safely to your house.
Who’s Involved? The people that work on the distribution lines and the lines outside your home are also electrical linesman who again, are responsible for repairing, installing, and maintaining the lines and transformers on the lines for safe distribution.
Step 4: ELECTRICIAN TIME!
Now that you have electricity coming into your home with the help of people who generate the electricity, operate the power plants, and work on the power lines, it’s time for your local electrician to install, repair, and maintain your electrical wiring, electrical service panel, and other electrical components for your house. Electricians are just one portion of electricity, but an important one for the end consumer.
