Power Lines
Power lines provide the vital link between power plants that
produce electricity and the homes and businesses that rely
on electricity every day of the year. PNM owns and maintains
about 17,400 miles of power lines within New Mexico.
Transmission lines (left) account for about 16 percent of
that total. High-voltage lines, usually carrying electricity
at either 115 or 345 kilovolts, bring electricity from power
plants to substations in cities and towns. The transmission
network is a highly complex and integrated network that works
well because it has been carefully designed and constructed
according to strict operating standards. PNM's transmission
network is connected to the larger grid serving the entire
western United States so that power can be moved quickly in
case of an emergency.
Distribution lines are smaller lines, carrying electricity
from substations into and throughout neighborhoods everywhere.
Many of these distribution lines run behind homes and businesses.
In newer neighborhoods, distribution lines often are buried
rather than installed on overhead poles.
Substations play a critical role in the delivery of electricity.
Substations in and near neighborhoods, along with transformers
along a line, decrease the voltage for delivery to homes and
businesses, typically at either 120 or 240 volts. Most household
appliances run off of 120-volt power, while larger appliances,
such as electric dryers and stoves, require 240-volt power.
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