The Journey of

Electricity

How does Electricity get to your home?

Step 1 - Electricity is generated at power stations.

Coal or gas is burnt in a large furnace that boils water and changes it to steam.

Step 2 - This steam is then forced through a turbine. A turbine is just like a fan except that it has

a lot more blades.

When the steam is forced through these blades then they begin to

spin.

Step 3 - The turbine is connected to a generator, which is a coil of wire that

is surrounded by large magnets.

When the turbine spins this coil of wire it produces

electricity.

Step 4 - When the electricity leaves the power station it has to travel great distances and be distributed

amongst many different users.

So that the electricity can do this, it must be given a large "push". The size of this "push" is its voltage.

Step 5 - The electricity then travels along the high voltage transmission network. You have probably

seen part of this as you drive down the highway.

The electricity travels along heavy cables suspended between large towers

Step 6 - Once the electricity reaches a town or city the voltage has to be reduced. This is achieved by a

step-down transformer, which reduces the voltage.

This is where Energex comes in. We convert the electricity to lower voltages and deliver it from the

system to your home.

Step 7 - Before the electricity enters your house, the voltage is reduced once more by a step-down transformer to 240 volts.

This is the voltage that is used in all Australian homes.

While the journey of electricity is fascinating, we can’t forget about the dangers too, particularly in power lines.

Power lines carry enough energy to turn almost anything into a conductor of electricity! We must remember to:

1. Look up and live!

2. Dial 1100 before you dig.

3. Stay clear of fallen wires

The Journey of Electricity