MODULE 7: ELECTRICITY

We use electricity constantly in our daily lives. It is one of the most important types of
power and energy that we use. To make things operate, electrical energy must be emitted
or generated from energy sources such as power plants and transmitted to the
distribution lines to houses, which enables an object to consume the power it needs to
function. As a result, electrical energy permits people to watch television in their homes
or purchase hot coffee from vending machines because the electrical energy is available.

Can you enumerate the different uses of electricity in our daily lives based on the
diagram?

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Electricity Generation, Transmission, and Distribution

British scientist Michael Faraday discovered the fundamental principles of

electricity generation in the 1820s. He generated electricity by moving a loop of wire
between the poles of a magnet. This method is still used today. Modern power plants
generate electricity in a variety of ways. It is most often generated by heat engines fueled
or powered by burning fossil fuels or radioactive elements, but it can also be generated
by water, wind, solar, and geothermal power.
Electricity is generated at power plants and moves through a complex called Grid.
The electrical Grid is a complex network of electrical generators, transmission, and
distribution lines that dynamically respond to shifts in electrical supply and demand to
ensure electricity is always supplied reliably.

Generating Stations:
Commonly used power plants are:
 Thermal Power Plant
 Nuclear Power Plant
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  Hydro Power Plant
 Gas Turbine Power Plant
 Combined Cycle Power Plant

The maximum generated voltage in power station are 11 kV. In addition, there are
two major categories of energy sources: renewable and non-renewable.
Non-renewable energy resources are available in limited supplies, usually because
they take a long time to replenish. The advantage of these non-renewable resources is
that power plants that use them are able to produce more power on demand. The non-
renewable energy resources are coal, nuclear, oil, and natural gas.
Renewable resources, on the other hand, replenish themselves. The five major
renewable energy resources are solar, wind, water/Hydro, Biomass, and Geothermal while
renewable energy resources have the advantage of unlimited supply over the long haul,
they are limited in their availability at any given moment.
For example, the sun rises each day, but its ability to generate power is limited
when it’s cloudy. Another disadvantage is that power plant operators can’t crank up
renewable energy production when people are consuming more power, such as on a hot
day when many people are running air conditioners at the same time.
Transmission System:
Electric power transmission is the bulk transfer of energy from generating plants
to electric sub-stations located near demand centers.
The transmission system is classified into:
 Primary Transmission Lines - carries 220-765 kV, where the voltage is
stepped up from 11 kV supplied by generating station to 220kV using
transformers.
 Secondary Transmission Lines - carries 33 kV, where the voltage is stepped
down from 220 kV to 33 kV by secondary transmission substation.

The types of transmission lines are:

1. Overhead Transmission Lines: easier to repair if damaged, they are not restricted
by landscape, maintenance cost is higher, less public safety, they can be operated
up to 400 kV or higher.
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 2. Underground Transmission Lines: common in populated areas, less visibility. less
affected by hard weather, cost of insulated cable and excavation is higher, less
working voltage (limited to 66 kV).
3. Sub-transmission Lines carried voltages reduced from the major line system.
Typically, 34.5 kV to 69 kV, this power is sent to regional distribution substations.
Sometimes the sub transmission voltage is tapped along the way for use in
industrial or large commercial operations, some utilities categorize these as
transmission lines.

A substation is a power transmission system at which electric power is transformed to a

conveniently used form. Its main function is to receive energy transmitted at high voltage
from generating station by either step-up or step-down to a value appropriate for local use
and provide facilities for switching.

Distribution System
It is the final stage in the delivery of electric power. It carries electricity from the
transmission system to individual consumers. It is a part between distribution
substations and consumers.
Classified into:
 Primary Distribution Lines - carry medium voltage (11 kV), where the voltage is
stepped down from 33 kV to 11 kV by distribution substations transformer-
supplied to commercial and industrial consumers.
 Secondary Distribution Lines - carry low voltage (415 /250 V)- where the voltage
is stepped down from 11 kV to 415/ 240 V by service transformer banks- supplied
to commercial and residential.

Distribution system is divided into:

 Feeders - is a conductor which connects the substation to the area where power is
to be distributed. No tapping is taken to the consumers from feeders, so the current
in it remains the same throughout.
 Distributor - are conductors from which numerous tapping from the pole-mounted
transformer is taken from the supply to the consumers. The current through it is
not constant because tapping are taken at various places along its length and
voltage drop is the main consideration.
 Service Mains - is a smaller cable that connects the distributor to the consumer
meter.

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 ACTIVITY 2: Tracing Power

Materials: Activity sheet, Ballpen

Procedure: Carefully analyze the pictures, and match them to the descriptions by writing
the letter of the correct answer on another sheet of paper.

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1. Steam is generated in the power plant by the burning of fossil fuels or by nuclear
fission or geothermal energy.
2. The steam powers a turbine which spins a huge magnet inside a copper wire. Heat
energy converts to mechanical energy which then converts to electrical energy in the
generator.
3. Electricity flows from the power plant through wires to the step up transformer. The
transformer raises the voltage so it can travel long distances- it is raised to as high as
756,000 volts.
4. The electric current then runs through the power lines to the substation transformer
where voltage is lowered to between 2,000 and 13,000 volts.
5. Electricity is then taken through the lines to a pole transformer-or a transformer box if
underground- and voltage is lowered again to 120 or 220 or 240 volts.

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6. From there, electricity comes into your home through a service box, where your meter
is located to measure how much you use. Wires take electricity around your home,
powering your lights and all your electrical appliances.

For items 7 to 10, answer the questions based on the activity.

7. What are the different stations in the transmission of energy?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________

8. What do you notice about the size of the transmission lines as it reaches the
consumers?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________

9. Does the size of wires and cables used matter in energy transmission?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________

10. What happens to the voltage that travels from the source to the consumers?

______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________

ACTIVITY 3: Venn Diagram for Power Sources

Materials: Activity sheet, Ballpen

Procedure: Use the Venn Diagram to show the differences and similarities between
RENEWABLE SOURCES and NON RENEWABLE SOURCES of energy for electrical power.
Select your answer from the box below.

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 ACTIVITY 4: Transporting Electricity

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Materials: Activity sheet, Ballpen
Procedure: A. Explain what each of the components numbered below does to get
electricity from the generator to the consumer.

B. Differentiate the Step-up transformer from the Step-down transformer (8-10).