An electric utility is a company (often a public utility) that engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity for sale generally in a regulated market. The electrical utility industry is a major provider of energy in most countries. Electricity is an integral part of life in the Developed world. It is indispensable to factories, commercial establishments, homes, and even most recreational facilities. Lack of electricity causes not only inconvenience, but, also economic loss due to reduced industrial production. A public utility is a company that maintains the infrastructure for a public service. ... Electricity generation is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ... 11kV/400V-230V transformer in an older suburb of Wellington, New Zealand Electricity distribution is the penultimate stage in the delivery (before retail) of electricity to end users. ... Electricity retailing is the final process in the delivery of electricity from generation to the consumer. ... A regulated market is the provision of goods or services that is regulated by a government appointed body. ... A developed country is a country that has achieved (currently or historically) a high degree of industrialization, and which enjoys the higher standards of living which wealth and technology make possible. ...

Electric utilities include investor owned, publicly owned, cooperatives, and nationalized entities. They may be engaged in all or only some aspects of the industry. Electricity markets are also considered electric utilities--these entities buy and sell electricity, acting as brokers, but usually do not own or operate generation, transmission, or distribution facilities. Utilities are regulated by local and national authorities. An investor is any party that makes an investment. ... A publicly traded corporation often refers to a company whose shares are traded on the open market, such as a stock market. ... A cooperative (also co-operative or co-op) comprises a legal entity owned and democratically controlled by its members, with no passive shareholders. ... Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... An electricity market is a system for effecting the purchase and sale of electricity using supply and demand to set the price. ...

Organization

Utility service territories are typically geographically distinct from one another. These territories may be set by regulation or by economics as the capital cost of reproducing infrastructure is usually prohibitive. Each territory is composed of different types of consumers, usually broadly described as either commercial, residential or industrial.

Tariff structure

Electricity consumers are divided into classes of service or sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, and other) based on the type of service they receive. Sectoral classification of consumers is determined by each utility and is based on various criteria such as:

• demand levels
• rate schedules
• distribution voltage
• accounting methods
• end-use applications
• other social and economic characteristics

Utilities typically employ a number of tariffs. The alternative tariffs reflect consumers' varying consumption levels and patterns and the associated impact on the utility's costs of providing the service.

Power Transactions

An electric power system is a group of generation, transmission, distribution, communication, and other facilities that are physically connected. The flow of electricity with the system is maintained and controlled by dispatch centers. It is the responsibility of the dispatch center to match the supply of electricity with the demand. In order to carry out its responsibilities, the dispatch center is authorized to buy and sell electricity based on system requirements. The interconnected utilities within each power grid coordinate operations and may buy and sell power among themselves. The bulk power system makes it possible for utilities to engage in wholesale (for resale) electric power trade. Wholesale trade has historically played an important role, allowing utilities to reduce power costs, increase power supply options, and improve reliability. Authority for those transactions has been pre-approved under interconnection agreements signed by all the electric utilities physically interconnected or with coordination agreements among utilities that are not connected.

See also

• Off-the-grid
• Distributed generation
• Electricity generation
• Electricity transmission
• Electricity retailing
• Future energy development
• Lineman
• Load Profile
• Power quality
• Voltage drop

The term off the grid refers to a method of construction that relies on renewable energy sources rather than traditional public utility sources provided by the utility grid. ... Distributed generation generates electricity from many small energy sources. ... Electricity generation is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ... Transmission towers Transmission lines in Lund, Sweden Electric power transmission, or more accurately Electrical energy transmission, is the second process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ... Electricity retailing is the final process in the delivery of electricity from generation to the consumer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into energy development. ... Linemen repairing overhead lines (that supply power to trains) Linemen repairing electricity distribution lines (that supply power to homes) A lineman or linesman is a tradesman who constructs and maintains electric power transmission and distribution facilities. ... In electronics, a load profile is a graph of the changes in the electrical load on an electrical device versus time. ... Power quality is a term used to discuss events on electric power grids that can damage or disrupt sensitive electronic devices. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

References

• North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)