UNDERSTANDING THE

GENERATION AND
TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY

Generation of Electricity
Generation of Electricity from Various
Electrical energy is not a natural or primary Sources
source of energy an it cannot be stored very
easily. (1) Thermal power stations
Electrical energy is generated by several ways:-
(i) Stored energy (fossil fuel, nuclear and
biomass) is converted to thermal energy to
make steam that turns the turbine attached
to the generator.
(ii) Gravitational potential energy (Hydro) is
converted to kinetic energy of water to turn
the turbine
(iii) Kinetic energy of wind turns a wind turbine
to generate electrical energy
(iv) Solar energy transforms directly into
electrical energy by solar cells
(v) Chemical energy transforms directly into Fuels such as coal, petroleum natural gas and
electrical energy by accumulators uranium are used in the thermal power stations.
Heat energy is produced by burning coal or oil in a
Sources of energy furnace or from the fission of uranium nuclei in the
core of a nuclear reactor.
Sources of energy can b divided into two Water absorbs the heat energy in a boiler or heat-
classifications: exchanger and is turned into steam at a high
pressure.
(i) Non-renewable sources The high-pressure steam converts heat energy
- Fossil fuels into mechanical energy as it turns the turbine.
- Nuclear fuel The generator converts the mechanical energy
into electrical energy.
(ii) Renewable source
- Hydropower (2) Hydroelectric power station
-Solar energy
-Biomass
-Wind power
-Geothermal energy
-Wave energy
-Ocean thermal energy
-Tidal energy

In hydroelectric stations there is no need to heat

steam at all.

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 Water is collected in a high reservoir and
possesses a high gravitational potential
energy.
When the water is felt through a pipe , its (ii) Solar cell
potential energy changes to kinetic energy.
The kinetic energy of water changes to
electrical energy when the water turns
the blades of a turbine.

(3) Solar energy

Solar energy can be converted into
electrical energy by two methods:
(i) Solar furnace

Solar cells are made of semiconductor

materials which develop an e.m.f. when
exposed to sunlight.
Solar cell are used in calculator, lamps, wrist
watch , heating water and in satellite.

(4) Wind energy

A concave paraboloidal reflector can

be used to focus and concentrate the
radiant heat energy from the sun. At
the focus the heat energy is as
The kinetic energy of wind rotates blades
concentrated as that produced by
connected to the rotor of an electrical generator to
burning fossil fuels. The heat energy is
produce the electrical energy.
used to produce steam whose kinetic
energy is used to drive the turbine of
(5) Wave energy
an electrical generator.

Solar panels use sun energy to

generate thermal energy to heat water
at home.

The ‘Salter duck ‘ , is a specially shaped float

which rocks back and forth as the waves strikes it.
This rocking motion can be used to drive a turbine
and generate electricity. The whole wave energy

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 generator has a row of ducks lined up facing
the oncoming waves.
Transmission of Electricity
The major problems to transmit the electrical
energy from a power station to the users is the
power loss in the cables as heat energy.
Power loss in the cables ,
∆P∆P= I=2 R
IMsalah
∆P = Power loss in the cables
I = Current flows in the cables
R = Resistance of the cables
To find the current flows in the cable;
I = P
V
I = Current flows in the cables
P = Power transmits through the cables
V = Voltage transmits through the cables
Reducing power loss in transmission lines
(1) Using thick cables with a large cross-
sectional area to reduce the resistance
because ∆P α R
Aluminium alloys are used because they are
cheaper and much lighter than copper.
(2) Reducing the current through the cables
because ∆P α I2.
To overcome this problem, electrical energy
is transmitted at high voltage because
(Iα1 )
V transmission line and to step down to a low
Transformers are used to increase or
decrease the voltage and the transformer
can only function with the voltage of an
alternating current.
This is the reason why alternating current is
used in the transmission of electricity.
Example 1
A power station generates 40 kW of electric
power using a power transmission line with
resistance of 8.
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What is the power wasted due to the resistance of
transmission cable when the voltage is transmitted at
(a) 500 V (b) 20 kV
Solution
Example 2
A power station generates 80 MW of electric power at a
voltage 80 kV through a cable of resistance 5 .
Determine
(a) The power loss due to the transmission cable
(b) The percentages of the power loss
(c) The efficiency of the power transmission
(d) The potential difference along the cable
Solution:
Model of an Electricity Transmission System
To set up a model power lines in the laboratory these
following ideas should be followed:
(1) Wires must have a low resistance to reduce power
loss
(2) Electrical power must be transmitted at low
currents to reduce power loss.
(3) To carry the same power at low current we must
use a high voltage
(4) To step up to a high voltage at the beginning of a
voltage again at the end we need transformers.
(5) Transformers only work when they are supplied
with alternating current.
Example 3
In a model of power line , a 12V a.c. supply is
connected by wires of total resistance 4Ω to a
lamp of resistance 6Ω.
Calculate
(a) The current flowing in the wires
(b) The power loss in the wires
(c) The voltage
(i) drop along the power line
 (ii) available to the lamp at the end of the
line
(d) The power converted in the lamp
Solution
National Grid Network
TUTORIAL 5

1 Which of the following sources of energy is non-

renewable?
A Solar energy
B Wave energy
C Wind power
D Fossil fuels

2 Which fuel does not have to be burned to

produced heat?
A Coal
B Gas
C Oil
D Aluminium

3 Governments are trying to reduce the amount of

The National Grid Network is a network of
transmissions lines which link all the major power
stations in the country with all the major users
such as our homes, offices, cities and factories.
Electrical energy generated in power stations
where its voltage is increased by using a step-up
transformer to reduce energy loss in the cable
before transmission via the national grid.
At a sub-stations, before reaching the various
consumers , the high voltage is reduced by using
step-down transformer.
Advantages of the National Grid Network
(1) Easy to manage.
Regional control and switching centres
enable power to be sent where and when it
is needed.
(2) Less interruptions and continuously
Regional control and switching centres
allow some stations and lines to be shut
down for maintenance work without cutting
off the consumers.
(3) Reducing cost of generation
High voltage transmission can reduce the
power loss in transmission cables. The cost
of production is reduced.
(4) Easy to control and regulate
At peak periods of electricity usage , more
generators can be switched on. During
periods of low demand ,some generators
can be turned off.
carbon dioxide released by thermal power stations.
This is because carbon dioxide _____
A contains radioactive carbon
B increases global warming
C makes plants grow too fast
D makes the ocean acidic
4 Which of the following is an effect on the
environment from a thermal power station?
A A large area of forest land has to be
destroyed.
B Displaces local population
C Produces noise
D Acid rain
5 Which type of energy is transferred from the wind to
generate electricity?
A Gravitational potential
B Thermal
C Kinetic
D Sound
6 The changes in energy that occur during the
generation of electricity power in a Hydroelectric
power station is
A Gravitational potential energy → Heat
energy→ Electrical energy
B Heat energy → Kinetic energy→ Electrical
energy
C Gravitational potential energy → Kinetic
energy→ Electrical energy

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 D Kinetic energy → Gravitational What is the type of transformer at P and Q?
potential → Electrical energy
P Q
7 Which of the following is not used solar cell A Step-up Step-up
to operate? transformer transformer
A Satellite B Step-down Step-up
B Calculator transformer transformer
C Wrist watch C Step-up Step-down
D Transformer transformer transformer
D Step-down Step-down
8 The energy loss in a transmission cable is transformer transformer
directly proportional to the
A radius of the cable 13 The power loss in the transmission cable can be
B resistance of the cable reduced by transmits the power at ______ Voltage
C current flows in the cable and through _______ cable.
A low , thin C high, thin
9 Power losses in the National Grid system are B low, thick D high, thick
reduced by using
A Thin cables 14 Which of the following is the reason why is the
B High cables alternating current is used to transmits the
C High currents electricity power from a station?
D High voltages A The electrical power only can be generated
in form of alternating current
10 In the National Grid system the transmission B All electrical appliances in the house use
of electrical energy is by means of overhead alternating current.
conductors. These conducting wires carry C The voltage of alternating current can be
A Alternating current at high voltage changed by alternating current
B Alternating current at high frequency
C Direct current at high voltage 15 20 kW of electrical power is transmitted through a
D Direct current at low voltage cable with a resistance 0.2 at a voltage 10 kV.
What is the total power loss in the cable.
11 The diagram shows how electricity from A 0.5 W B 0.6 W
power stations reaches our homes. C 0.7 W D 0.8 W

16 A power station supplies 220 kW to a town

through a cable of resistance 50  . The
transmission voltage is 11 kV.
What is the percentages of the power loss in the
cable?
A 1.0% B 2.0%
C 9.0% D 10.0%
The electric current used in X and Y ____
A must be d.c. 17 20 kW of electrical power is transmitted through a
B must be a.c. cable with a resistance 1.0  km-1. at a voltage 10
C can be either a.c. or d.c. kV .
D must be d.c. at X and a.c. at Y What is the power loss for every 1 km?
A 0.5 W B 1.0 W C
12 The diagram shows a model of transmission 2.0 W D 4.0 W
of electricity .
18 A power station supplies 10 MW through a cable
which has a resistance 5  . The transmission
voltage is 100 kV.
What is the efficiency of the power transmission?
A 99.5% B 99.0%

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 C 98.0% D 97.5%
19 (a) The figure shows the stages by which 20 The diagram shows part of a hydroelectric power
the heat is transferred into electrical station.
energy.
Complete the diagram by filling in the
missing word.

(b) A fuel burning power station uses
2000 J of fuel energy to generate 600
J of electrical energy. The rest is
wasted as heat. Calculate the
efficiency of the power station.
(c) List A gives three energy resources
used to generate electricity.
List B gives environmental problems
that may caused by using different
energy resources.
Draw a straight line from each energy
resource in List A to the environmental
problem it may cause in List B. Draw
three lines only.
List A List B
Energy Environmental
resource problem that
may be caused
(a) State the changes in energy that occur
during the generation of electricity power in
the hydroelectric power station.
(b) Given that 0.5 m3 s-1 of water flows down the
pipe.
[ Density of water = 1 000 kgm-3 ]
Determine the power delivered to the water-
turbine, assuming that no energy is lost in the
pipe.
(c) State two advantages of using hydroelectric
power compared the fuel power.
21 The diagram shows the Model of an Electricity
Transmission System. The electrical power of 24
W is transmitted at a voltage 12 V. The voltage
reaches at a village across a bulb is 9V.

Wind Destroy flora

and fauna

Oil
Produces
a lot of (a) Why is the voltage decreases when reaches
noise at the village?
Hydropower
(b) Two identical ammeters A1 and A2 are
Produces connected as shown in the diagram above.
radioactive (i) What is the reading of ammeter A1.
radiation
(ii) Compare the reading of ammeter A2
Acid rain and ammeter A1?

(c) Calculate
(i) the power loss in the transmission line

(ii) the total resistance of the transmission

lines.
22 (a) The diagram shows a part of the

58
 National Grid Network to transmit the (ii) Explain briefly the importance of the
electrical power. national grid network system in
distributing electrical energy to the
users.

(b) The Figure shows how a model of an electric

transmission system can be set up in a
laboratory. The model consists of a power
station that generates 12 V of alternating
current (a.c) that transmits the electrical energy
to the users using transmission wires and
(i) State the type of transformer
transformers P,Q and R.
X.
(ii) Give the reason for your answer
in b(i)

(b) The following table shows the

characteristics of four cables with the
same length.
Characteristics of the cable
Cable Diameter Density/ kg m-3 Rate of
/cm expansion
P 3 7.2 x 103 Low
Q 3 6.1 x 103 Medium
R 5 2.9 x 103 Low
S 6 8.0 x 103 High You are required to set up a model as in the
Figure above, using the information in the
Based on the table ; following table.
(i) Explain the suitability of each
characteristic in the table above Number Type of Material of
to be used to make a cable in a of turns transformer transmission
transmission line. of the coil Core line
(ii) Justify your choice and give the 1 200
reason. 1 000 - Solid -Constantan
500 cuprum core -Copper
(c) A power station generates 110 kW of 400 -Laminated -Aluminium
electric power at a voltage 10 kV 160 cuprum core -Nichrome
through a cable of resistance 10 . 120 -Solid soft
Determine iron core
(i) the current flows through the -Laminated
cable. Soft iron
(ii) the power loss in the cable. core

(c) Using the information in the Figure and Table

23 (a) Most of our electrical energy comes
from hydroelectric power stations and
thermal power stations. These power
stations are connected by cables to transmit
electricity to users in industries , offices,
schools and houses. This system is called
the national grid network.
(i) State the transformations of
energy in a hydroelectric power
station.
above determine:
(i) the number of turns in the primary coil
and the secondary coil of transformers
P,Q and R and show your working.
(ii) the type of core you will use in all the
transformers and justify your choice.
(iii) the material you will use for the
transmission wire and justify your
choice.

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