GC: n
CT: Electricity is supplied to consumers through the National Grid at a very high voltage to reduce energy losses during transmission. Transformers are used to increase or decrease the voltage of the supply. Electricity is charged in units. One unit is equivalent to one kilowatt of electricity used for one hour.
S: BBC – http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa_pre_2011/energy/using_electricityrev1.shtml (last access: 31 December 2014)
N: 1. A voltage on the order of thousands of volts.
2. Any voltage above 750 volts.
3. Electricity is transferred from power stations to consumers through the wires and cables of the National Grid. When a current flows through a wire some energy is lost as heat. The higher the current, the more heat is lost. To reduce these losses, the National Grid transmits electricity at a low current. This needs a high voltage.
4. Power stations produce electricity at 25,000V. Electricity is sent through the National Grid cables at 400,000V, 275,000V and 132,000V.
5. Step-up transformers are used at power stations to produce the very high voltages needed to transmit electricity through the National Grid power lines. These high voltages are too dangerous to use in the home, so step-down transformers are used locally to reduce the voltage to safe levels. The voltage of household electricity is about 230V.
6. high voltage: term standardized by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
7. high tension; HT: term and abbreviation officially approved by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.
S: 1 & 2. TERMIUMPLUS. 3, 4 & 5. BBC – http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa_pre_2011/energy/using_electricityrev1.shtml (last access: 31 December 2014). 6 & 7. TERMIUMPLUS.
SYN: H.V.
S: GDT; TERMIUMPLUS.
