Power Distributions

Electric power distribution moves electricity from power plants to homes, businesses, and industry through transmission and distribution networks. Power plants convert energy from coal, gas, nuclear, water, and wind into electrical energy. They use three-phase generators, often rated from 50 to 1300 MVA, with terminal voltages from a few kV to 20 kV depending on the unit size and age.

The transmission system carries this electricity over long distances with high voltage to reduce energy loss.

Primary distribution systems move electrical power from substations to consumers. They use several voltage classes, and 15-kV class voltages are the most common among U.S. utilities. Older 2.5-kV and 5-kV primaries are being replaced by 15-kV systems. Higher 25-kV to 34.5-kV classes are used in dense urban areas and in rural regions with long feeders.

Many primary systems use three-phase, four-wire multigrounded lines. In this setup, the neutral wire serves as a grounding point. Substations...

Secondary distribution carries electrical energy from distribution transformers to customer meters at usable voltage levels. Common U.S. secondary voltages include 120/240 V for homes, 208Y/120 V for residential and commercial buildings, and 480Y/277 V for industrial sites and high-rise buildings.

In residential areas, 120/240 V single-phase, three-wire service is often used for lighting, outlets, and large appliances. Dense urban areas may use 208Y/120 V three-phase, four-wire service because...

Distribution transformers and substation transformers step down high transmission voltage for safe delivery to homes, schools, and businesses. In distribution systems, these transformers are usually grouped as distribution substation transformers and other distribution transformers. Their main job is to lower voltage to levels that fit distribution and end-user use.

Distribution substation transformers often use mineral oil for insulation and cooling. Some units keep an inert gas, such as...

Distribution reliability in electric power systems helps keep electricity flowing with as few outages as possible and at minimal cost. In IEEE standard terms, reliability is the chance that a device will work without failure over a set time or amount of use. For power distribution, that means steady service and fewer customer concerns about blackouts.

Engineers use several IEEE Standard 1366-2012 indices to measure how well a distribution system performs. SAIFI, or System Average Interruption...