Electricity Facts

In the earlier days of grid development, copper was the preferred material for overhead conductors. Later, aluminum replaced copper because of its lower cost and lighter weight. Most recently, the industry has adopted the use of covered conductors to make the lines more resistant to branches and other elements that could contact lines and cause outages.

Rubber-insulated gloves must remain in excellent condition to provide the necessary level of electrical protection. At Versant Power, we have our own Glove Testing Lab to ensure that the equipment our team uses is safe and reliable.  

Transformers can raise or lower electric voltage depending on the needs. High voltage transmission lines are used to move power more efficiently, but lower voltages are needed for safe use by homes and businesses. Transformers change the voltage using coils of wire and magnetic fields, but this only works with “Alternating Current” or “AC”.  The usefulness of the transformer is the main reason George Westinghouse’s AC electricity was adopted for use over Thomas Edison’s “DC” or “Direct Current”.

Glass insulators have been used on top of electrical poles to insulate the conductors from the pole and prevent loss of electricity.  Many kinds of insulating materials are used for different situations.  Ceramic and glass are used for separating different components, and rubber or plastic is commonly seen coating electrical cables from transmission lines to phone chargers.