Plants, Poles and Plugs

Electricity Has Unique Properties That Do Not Allow It To Be Stored Or Routed.
Unlike oil or gas in a pipeline, electricity cannot easily be stored. It must be generated and delivered at the precise moment it is needed. To reach consumers, electricity must travel from a power plant through miles of transmission and distribution lines until it reaches its final destination where it will be used.

Electricity travels through the path of least resistance. This path must be made of a material—such as metal—through which electrons can easily travel. Unlike telecommunications, electricity cannot be routed from one destination to another. Electricity will travel down whatever paths are made available to it but cannot be directed to go to a particular destination. Utilities have interconnected their transmission systems so that they may buy and sell power from each other and from other power suppliers, and to ensure reliability of service.