Hello, I`m new to this forum and this is my first post.
I am an electrician in the making so to speak, and I think I can explain a bit here.
The most common voltage of a generator (let`s say a dam, 50MW) is about 13kV. Then depending on the distance of the energy beeng transported it is stepped up by a substation from anywhere like 200kV to 700kv or so. Experimental power lines in Siberia run on a relatively very high 1 megavolt (1000Kv).
The previous post that says that the main purpose of high voltage are thinner lines is not exactly it. Of cource companies want to save metal and money, but low currents result in lower losses. It is not unisual that many hundreds or thousands of kilowatts are lost in the power lines by the capacitive effect of the lines either hanging or as a cable buried in the ground. That is why high-voltage lines usually revolve (like a 4-twisted pair for a computer. A LAN cable in other words) to reduce the capacitive efect.
Tu usual inner-city distribution the common voltage ratings do not exceed 22kV if I recall, very commonly cables.
The it can be used directly by a large industry or transformed down to as low as 670 Volts (I`m talking about European systems) because that is the lowest "high voltage", a standard.
Households today can receive a 400V 3-pole TN or TN-C-S net that uses the PEN (Protective Earth & Neutral, yellow-green-blue) is split in a TN-C system where they use one plase an the N (zero point of either a Y or D transformer) point to get 2x1/3 of 400 which is 230! A brilliant system, however the second Earth error is extremely high...
Then again older households use IT systems usually, rarely TT. Those are usual D-transformer 230V systems that can eithe use 2 or 3 phases which both deliver 230V.
Usually you can find out what net you have by asking your electrical company.