Three Phase Alternating Current
The coils inside Hydro generators are arranged in such a way as to produce three separate pulses (or phases) of electricity. Three conductors lead away from a single generator, each carrying one of the three phases.
The phases are carefully balanced. At any one point in time an average taken across the three conductors would show equal numbers of electrons moving backwards and forwards. Electricity only flows in a circuit. The balancing of the three phases allows the part of the circuit from the user back to the generator to be completed along the same three lines used to transmit the electricity.
Three separate conductors
(one for each phase) delivering
power to transmission lines at
Liapootah Power Station
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