Electricity

***Electricity is an optional feature and is only available when energy management is enabled in game settings.***

## Background

The electrical grid is the intricate system designed to provide electricity all the way from its generation to the customers that use it for their daily needs. These systems have grown from small local designs, to stretching thousands of kilometers and connecting millions of homes and businesses today.

The grid consists of countless complex interconnections, however there are three main sections—electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

Electricity is generated through power plants. Fossil fuel power plants consume natural resources (Oil, Coal, or Nuclear Fuel/Uranium) to generate power and pollution. Solar and wind generate power without pollution but generate much less power than fossil fuel power plants. Solar and wind can be useful as cheap power sources when first starting off.

Electrical transmission is the process of delivering generated electricity - usually over long distances - to substations which connect to the distribution grid located in populated areas. A high-voltage cable (HV cable) is a cable used for electric power transmission at high voltage. A typical high-voltage transmission cable consists of a steel core for support/reinforcement wrapped in multiple layers of conductive aluminum strands. Transmission lines are protected from lightning by overhead ground wires (OHGW) which are unenergized steel cables intended to act similar to a lightning rod. These lines are capable of transmitting multiple circuits of 3-phase AC many kilometers while operating at temperatures of over 150 C (300 F).

In the power distribution section of an electrical power system, there are two main subsections: primary distribution and secondary distribution. In the primary distribution are medium-voltage (MV) cables used. Medium voltage cables range between 6 kV and 33kV. They are mostly produced to be a part of generation and distribution networks for many applications like utilities, petrochemical, transportation, wastewater treatment, food processing, commercial and industrial markets.

The secondary distribution or urban distribution is mainly underground, sometimes in common utility ducts. Rural distribution is mostly above ground with utility poles, and suburban distribution is a mix. The power comes to the customer via a service drop and an electricity meter. The final circuit in an urban system may be less than 15 metres, but may be over 90 metres for a rural customer.

## Gameplay

When Energy management is enabled in the game settings, the players republic must be provided with electricity to buildings, electrified railway, street lights, etc. The player has to take care of the power grid by providing electricity and deliver the electricity to buildings. Electricity can be imported from the border at a Foreign power connection or generated at power plants. For long distance transmission of electricity high voltage wires are available, for the primary distribution are medium voltage wires available. The player has to take care of these lines by placing power lines in the world, supplemented with switches. The player places transformers for the secondary distribution. The players doesn't need to connect every individual building, because the transformer provides electricity to all buildings in range.

### Generation

Electricity is generated through power plants. Power plants are buildings that generate electricity to power the republic. There are 3 types of power plants in the game fossil fuel, nuclear, and renewable. Gas, coal, and nuclear power plants require resources to operate, while wind and solar generates power depending on the wind speed and sun intensity in the world. Electricity can also be imported through foreign power connections. All power plants, except for wind, require workers to operate. This makes wind power a cheap but intermittent source of power for the early game.

Power plants produce electricity variably and based on the republics demand. If the republics power grid only requires 3.4 megawatts, the power plant will only produce 3.4 megawatts, even if the power plants capacity is higher.

### Transmission

Electricity needs to be distributed throughout the republic for buildings to function. This can be done through medium or high voltage wires. High voltage wires can carry more power over longer distances. Medium voltage wires can carry less power over shorter distances. The player can branch off of power lines using Power switches. But keep in mind that switches reduce the voltage, meaning the powerlines can't transfer power as far. Contrary to the name, power switches cannot switch on or off electricity, and are only an interconnection between lines.

### Primary distribution

High voltage wires can be reduced to medium wires using electric transformers. Electric transformers can take one high voltage connection and split it into 6 medium voltage connections.

### Secondary distribution

The player can distribute electricity to buildings using a electric substation, or some buildings, like the steel mill and aluminium plant have a direct high voltage connection. Substations have one medium voltage connection, and each substation can supply up to 2.5 Megawatts (limited to 2.35 MW due to that being the highest wattage for a medium voltage wire) to buildings up to 325 meters away from the substation.

Trolleybus lines and electrified train lines also must be powered. These are done through trolleybus electric connections and railroad electric connections respectively, both found in the conversion section of the electricity tab.

### Notes

* Power plant connections/switch yards can only output power from the power plant, and cannot transfer power from one line to another like a switch.
* The player cannot connect different types of wires.
* A foreign power connection at the border of the world can either import or export electricity, but not at the same time.
* When importing electricity the player only pays for the electricity that is needed in the republic.
* The maximum range from a substation to a building is 325m.
* The player can only provide electricity to the maximum wattage that a substation can deliver, lights will start flickering when the power grid is overloaded.

## Buildings related to electricity

### Power plants

###### Cooling pipe connection

 Mechanical componentsUsage depends on length.

### Power switch

Power can be branched off with Power switches. Contrary to the name, power switches cannot switch on or off electricity, and are only an interconnection between lines. Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic provide two types of switches, regular ones and ones with priorities.

The switches with priorities work like this: The power primarily draws always from the higher priority source and only the rest of the required power will be drawn from lower priority power. The advantage for the players is that they can connect a Solar power plant or Wind farm with a higher priority on the switch. On another source branch a fuel burning power plant can be connected, with a lower priority. So when there is enough sunlight or wind, the power from these sources are used in the republic over the power produced by burning fuel, so saving Rubles/Dollars and keeping the pollution low. Read more about this in community post **#67**

### Transformers

 5.1t Gravel,  4.1t Asphalt,
 2.7t Steel,
 0.55t Electro components
 0.59t Gravel,  0.47t Asphalt,
 2.7t Bricks,  0.89t Boards,
 0.66t Steel,
 0.068t Electro components

### Construction

Coal power plant

Gas power plant

Solar power plant

Big wind power plant

Small wind power plant

Incinerator power plant

Single reactor nuclear power plant

Twin reactor nuclear power plant

Zaporozie reactor

## Gallery

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 *Available from Workers & resources: Soviet Republic patch 0.8.9*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic's* Report for the Community #67.