Difference between revisions of "National Grid"

Revision as of 10:28, 3 March 2019

The national grid is a network of power stations, transmission lines and transformers which generate and transmit electricity across the United Kingdom.

The National Grid consists of several stages:

Power Stations - Electricity is generated with a potential difference of around 25kV.
Step Up Transformer - The potential difference of the electricity is increased to around 400kV for long distance transmission. This is because the higher potential difference means a lower current so less energy will be dissipated through heating the transmission lines.
Long Distance Transmission Lines - Electricity is transmitted at very high potential difference (400kV) so it is kept on very high transmission lines.
Step Down Transformer - The potential difference of the electricity is lowered to be sent to factories and neighbourhoods at 33kV.
Short Distance Transmission Lines - Electricity is transmitted at 33kV over a short distance.
Neighbourhood Step Down Transformer - The potential difference is lowered to 230V for use in houses.


A diagram of the national grid.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 #Short Distance [[Transmission Line]]s - [[Electricity]] is transmitted at 33kV over a short distance.
 #Neighbourhood [[Electrical Transformer#Step Down|Step Down Transformer]] - The [[Potential Difference|potential difference]] is lowered to 230V for use in houses.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+|[[File:NationalGrid.png|center|500px]]
+|-
+| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |A [[diagram]] of the '''national grid'''.
+|}