Electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fueled by combustion or nuclear fission but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power.   Power plant generators produce high-voltage electric current. Many power plants also use step-up transformers to increase the voltage of the current even more. By increasing the voltage, the amount of current traveling through power lines is decreased. This results in less loss of... Show more

Electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fueled by combustion or nuclear fission but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power.
 

Power plant generators produce high-voltage electric current. Many power plants also use step-up transformers to increase the voltage of the current even more. By increasing the voltage, the amount of current traveling through power lines is decreased. This results in less loss of electrical energy as the current travels from power plants to homes. However, the voltage in power lines is too high to be safe for home circuits. The voltage in power lines may be as great as 750,000 volts, whereas the voltage of most home circuits is 240 volts or less. One or more step-down transformers decrease the voltage of current before it enters a house. Other step-down transformers within the house lower the voltage of some of the home's circuits.  

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