electrical grid

transmission lines

Cables carrying electrical current

• substationsVoltage transformation facilities
• transformersVoltage-altering electrical devices
• power linesElevated electrical conductors

towers · poles · cables · insulators · switchgear · circuit breakers · high-voltage · distribution network · interconnection · pylons

load balancing

Distributing work across resources

• capacity planningEstimating future resource requirements
• dispatchSend with speed
• fault detectionFinding system malfunctions

load shedding · power flow · system operators · contingency planning · restoration

power plants

Facilities producing electricity

• renewable sourcesNaturally replenishing power origins
• solar farmsLarge-scale photovoltaic installations
• wind farmsGrouped turbines generating electricity

hydroelectric · nuclear · coal · natural gas · geothermal · fossil fuels · baseload · dispatchable · intermittent · feed-in

smart meters

Automated utility usage recorders

• energy storageCapturing power for later
• microgridsLocalized autonomous power systems
• digitalizationConverting to electronic format

sensors · real-time monitoring

utility companies

Infrastructure service providers

• ratepayersThose who pay local taxes
• tariffsTaxes on imports
• billingCharging for services rendered

metering · kilowatt-hour · wholesale market · retail rates · deregulation · public utility · cooperative · privatization · subsidies

• electricitybattery, batteries, wire, wires, outlet
• infrastructurehighways, road construction, railway expansion, roads, seaports
• energy systemspower plant, generators, solar power, wind power, nuclear power
• public servicespolice, police department, police station, police stations, police patrols
• utilitieswater supply, public utilities, water line, gas service, gas
• electrical engineeringcurrent, circuit design, circuits, voltage, transistors