The National Grid

This lesson covers the National Grid — the system that transfers electrical energy from power stations to consumers across the UK. This is part of the AQA GCSE Physics specification (4.2.4) and includes understanding the roles of step-up and step-down transformers and why electricity is transmitted at high voltages.

---

What Is the National Grid?

The National Grid is a system of cables, pylons and transformers that connects power stations to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and factories across the UK. It allows electricity generated in power stations to be distributed efficiently to consumers wherever they are located.

graph LR
    A[Power Station<br>25,000 V] --> B[Step-Up Transformer]
    B --> |400,000 V| C[Transmission Lines<br>National Grid]
    C --> D[Step-Down Transformer]
    D --> |230 V| E[Homes and Businesses]

Key Components