Closing down a feeder circuit when the load demands are high needs to be done for the safety of the generating plants. Switching and isolating the circuits for maintenance: Switching is also an important function of substations.This results in lower transmission losses but doesn’t provide the proper current for homes and businesses to use - thus the need of stepping up and stepping down the voltage. As power is transmitted at a higher voltage over long distances, the current is lower. Step up and step down of the voltage for transmission and distribution.While electric substations take part of the distribution of electricity, they have many other functions as follows: However in residential or high density areas, the substation may be indoors and housed inside a building to restrict the humming noise of the huge transformers. Substations are normally outdoors and are enclosed by a wire fence.

These are designed in such a way that various distribution circuits can be isolated for repairs and load shedding. In addition to changing the voltages the substations have, a variety of protective devices like circuit breakers and fuses are present to protect the distribution networks. The substations are where the voltages are increased to high values by using step up transformers, and after the transmission, they are again stepped down for distribution. The electricity is transmitted at very high voltages and low currents to reduce the heat, eddy currents, and other transmission losses. Electricity has to be transmitted over large distances as the place where the power is being generated and the place where it is consumed can be far apart. By the same analogy we can explain what a substation does. How does an electrical substation work? Why is it known as a “substation?” Normally stations are where we catch trains or buses.

How do substation breakers work