Steam to Electricity

The voltage of the power produced by the generator is too low for long distance travel on transmission lines.

For this reason, transformers are used to step up the voltage before sending it out along the power lines.

Common voltages for long distance transmission are 72,000 volts, 138,000 volts, 240,000 volts and sometimes even 500,000 volts!

When the electricity reaches its destination, other transformers step the voltage down to 120/240 volts for use in homes, businesses and factories, as well as for street lights and public transit.