SwitchYard
Coal To Electricity: SwitchYard
The voltage of the power produced by the generator is too low for long distance transmission line travel. For this reason, transformers are used to step up the voltage to a high voltage before sending it out on the power lines. Common voltages for this are 72,000 volts, 138,000 volts, 240,000 volts, or even 500,000 volts! When the electricity reaches its destination, other transformers step down the voltage to 120/240 volts for use in the home.