What is the national power grid?
Alan Mantooth, professor of electrical engineering in the College of Engineering, replies: The national power grid is the interconnection of generation stations, power lines, transformers, and circuit breakers and similar equipment that comprise our electricity creation and delivery system. Electricity is generated by several means including nuclear, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, and solar power. This generated power is first “transmitted” via the nation’s high voltage transmission lines to substations. From substations, it is “distributed” via distribution lines to neighborhoods, businesses, etc. While electric grids were created in regional sections of the country, they have now been interconnected such that parts of Mexico, Canada and all of the United States are part of one large connected “grid” of electrical power.
