What are the Advantages of Higher Transmission Voltage?

Before knowing the advantages of the higher voltage transmission, let us first have a brief look at high voltage transmission of power through transmission lines.

Higher Transmission Voltage

Higher transmission voltage is mainly used because it increases efficiency. It helps to maintain low costs and also it is economical. When we carry electricity from one point to another which is very far, then there occurs a huge voltage drop in the path as a result of many reasons. However, by using these high transmission voltage methods, this loss can be reduced. High transmission voltage methods also help in reducing the costs for conducting. Thus, the power transmission has a huge improvement in efficiency. Hence, we can say that the high voltage transmission keeps it economical by reducing all the extra costs.

Let us now understand the requirement of high transmission voltage.

We need to be able to transmit power from one place to another in an effective and safe way by also considering the costs of the transfer. All the mentioned requirements are effectively fulfilled by the high voltage transmission. Therefore, power is transmitted by high voltage transmission.

High voltage transmission can minimize the loss in power and the power transmission costs.

Generally, Copper (Cu), Aluminum (Al) and their alloys make the path that conducts electricity in a transmission. The total power loss in the transmission of electricity is basically caused mainly by the resistance of the conductor that is transmitting the electricity.

The loss caused in the power lines due to the resistance caused in the conductor that is transmitting the electricity internally is called "Copper Loss." We calculate the copper loss by the given formula:

Copper Loss = (Current)2 + Resistance, i.e.., Copper Loss = I2R

From the above formula, we can understand that the loss in power happening in the transmission line is directly proportional to the current that is flowing through the transmission line. This means that the higher the voltage is increased through the transmission line, the less the current is transmitted through the transmission line. Moreover, the less the current is transmitted through the transmission line, the lesser the loss in power through the transmission line.

For this reason, if we pass a high voltage, then it reduces current, thus reducing loss in power during the transmission of power through a transmission line. So, we can overcome this problem by sending the same amount of power through the transmission lines between the same points at a lower voltage. This results in less losses in power through the transmission lines.

Advantages of high voltage transmission

The advantages of high voltage transmission are listed below:

  1. Higher transmission voltage is mainly used because it increases efficiency.
  2. It helps to maintain low costs and is economical.
  3. When we carry electricity from one point to another which is very far, then there occurs a huge voltage drop in the path as a result of many reasons. By using these high transmission voltage methods, this loss can be reduced.
  4. High transmission voltage methods also help in reducing the costs for conducting.
  5. The power transmission has a huge improvement in efficiency.
  6. Around the world, often Electrical engineers worry about the aspects like the calculation of the distance that the optimal voltage transmission covers and the voltage that the end substation where the power is transmitted requires.
  7. High voltage transmission can minimize the loss in power.
  8. High voltage transmission can minimize the power transmission costs.
  9. By using High voltage transmission, we can reduce the volume of the conductor material.
  10. High voltage transmission highly increases the efficiency of transmission of power through transmission lines.
  11. The high voltage transmission of power through transmission lines helps to decrease the percentage in the line drop.

Disadvantages of high transmission voltage

Unfortunately, we also have a few disadvantages to high voltage transmission. These are given below:

  1. High voltage transmission increases the cost of insulation of conductors.
  2. High voltage transmission increases the costs of switchgear, transformers and other terminal apparatus.