Why Is Electrical Power Conducted at High Voltages?

[electro_DS]

Hey guys why is power conducted at very high voltages? doesn't that increase the current and thus the heat generated because p=v.i?

 

[Jobrag]

You are looking at it the wrong way round, if you are designing an alternator for a given power the current flow will decrease as the voltage increases, having lower current means that you need less copper to conduct the current thus keeping your costs, weight and size down. There is a problem the higher the voltage the harder it is to insulate the windings, as in all engineering you end up with a compromise

 

[jim hardy]

If you're going to dabble in electricity it's important to get straight in your head the basic quantities' names and meaniings

Charge
Current
Potential
Energy
Power

The answer to your question is in your question: ""because p=v.i? ""
Indeed , Power = volts X amps
To transmit a given power, the more volts you have the fewer amps you need to accomplish that.

old jim

 

[Pablo Verdugo]

Just to throw my two cents here;

Technically P = V*I*cos(θ)
So, in order to have a small amount of current, which also reduces losses in power lines (P = R * I^2), you need a higher voltage.