Step 1 - Electricity is generated at power stations. Coal or gas is burnt in a large furnace that boils water and changes it to steam. ENERGEX is not a generator of electricity.

Step 2 - This steam is then forced through a turbine. A turbine is just like a fan except that it has a lot more blades. If, you have ever been out to the airport and seen inside a jet engine then you would have seen the turbine blades. When the steam is forced through these blades they begin to spin.

Step 3 - The turbine is connected to a generator, which is a coil of wire that is surrounded by large magnets. When the turbine spins the coil of wire it produces electricity.

Step 4 - When the electricity leaves the power station it has to travel great distances and be distributed amongst many different users. So that the electricity can do this, it must be given a large 'push'. The size of this "push" is its voltage. The electricity leaves the generator and passes through a special device called a step-up transformer. This transformer increases the voltage or "push" to 275,000 volts.

Step 5 - The electricity then travels along the high-voltage transmission network. You have probably seen part of this as you drive down the highway. The electricity travels along heavy cables suspended between large towers.

Step 6 - Once the electricity reaches a town or city the voltage has to be reduced. This is achieved by a step down transformer, which reduces the voltage. Local distribution companies, like ENERGEX, convert the electricity to lower voltages and deliver it from the system to your home using a low voltage network - the poles and wires you see along your street.

Step 7 - Electricity retailers are the link with customers. The electricity retailer is the company you buy your electricity from and provides the associated customer services . As such, ENERGEX is also a retailer. To be able to provide electricity, the retailer deals with several links in the chain - they buy electricity from generators and then they use the local distribution network to carry the electricity to your home.

Step 8 - Before the electricity enters your house, the voltage is reduced once more by a step-down transformer to 240 volts. This is the voltage that is used in all Australian homes.