How is electricity made in power stations?

Why are pylons used to hold up the cables carrying electricity?

Why are pylons so high up?

Mains power is made in power stations.

Electricity is made by using fuels like coal and gas.

Large spinning turbines generate electricity.

Not enough space for all  the electrical cables on land.

Pylons carry electricity over the land where there is space.

Electricity can be sent over long distances when pylons are very high up.

Transmission lines are the name of the cables carried by the pylons. They carry high voltage electrical currents.

Why does electricity have to go to a substation before it reaches people’s homes?

Additional notes

The substation has many switches and each one controls the electrical supply to a specific place, like a house.

For electrical currents to flow to our homes, a high voltage is needed to push the power across long distances.

A substation lowers the voltage to make it safe to use in homes. The power can be sent on smaller power lines to houses or other buildings.

Mains electricity is a big circuit from a house or other building to the power station and back again.

A power station is like the battery in a simple circuit. It can make enough electricity to power thousands of homes and other buildings.

Electrical cables are also found underground.