Electric power distribution is the network that carries electricity from the supply system to end users such as residences and other buildings. It links the generation side — typically the output of a power station — to the circuits and equipment used by customers.
Main components
The distribution system is made up of several types of equipment and infrastructure:
- Power lines that deliver energy across streets and between substations.
- Transformers that change voltage levels to suit transmission or local use.
- Substations where voltage is switched, measured and redistributed.
- Meters that record how much energy individual customers consume.
Voltages and operation
Distribution networks operate at medium and low voltage levels suitable for appliances and lighting. Electricity is commonly transmitted at much higher voltages to reduce losses; along the path to the consumer, stages of voltage conversion by transformers reduce the level to what is safe and useful for a house or business.
Historical note
Early electrical systems used direct current for delivery. The later adoption of Alternating current, during the period known as the War of Currents, became dominant because it allowed relatively simple voltage conversion and efficient movement of power over distance via electric power transmission, with voltages stepped down before delivery to customers.