Power Transmission

Enhanced version

Image Description
Board 1 Long shot of a house in a residential neighbourhood. Zoom in on the house and we enter through the window.
Youth: I have a question. Once the electricity is produced at the power station, how does it get here right away?
Board 2 Two drops of water are having a discussion near the kitchen sink. One of the drops is a young girl and the other an old man. Behind them is the faucet and kitchen window.
Elder: Very good question, little one! Watch while I offer a demonstration.
Youth: Oh no, not another slideshow...
Elder: No, better than that! A diorama!
Board 3 Close-up of the young drop of water who understands nothing.
Youth: What's that?
Elder: Don't move, I'll be right back.
Board 4 Shot of the old man returning disguised as an electron, bringing along a model on wheels. They are backlit in front of the kitchen window.
Elder: Ta-dam!
Board 5 Low angle long shot of the two characters. The old man's mask is uncomfortable. He turns to reposition it. He turns back, looking proud.
Elder: I am Electron, the super hero, accompanied by my loyal assistant, Diorama. Electrifying, isn't it?
Youth: Yeah, I'm sure that'll be a great help: a comedian with scenery!...
Elder: Come on, trust me: you are going to be able to see the electricity travelling at almost the speed of light.
Board 6 Shot of the young drop of water imagining the electron's transformation: she sees it leave like a flash into a tunnel.
- : Wow, my hero...
Board 7 Low angle long shot of the two characters looking at the model.
Elder: Observe carefully. Here is the power station. There, in the generator, the electron begins to move, thanks to the rotation of the rotor inside the stator. The generator turns because we droplets of water cause the turbine to spin and turn the generator.
Board 8 Long shot of the two characters near the faucet.
Elder: When the electron leaves the generator, it has an electromotive force of 13 800 volts.
Board 9 The young drop imagines her super hero growing bigger.
Elder: The reason why the force of the electron is increased is because in Quebec, it must travel great distances to reach its destination. This way, energy losses are limited along the way.
Board 10 Close-up of the old man.
Elder: By the way, did you know that Hydro-Québec is a pioneer in high voltage distribution?...Hum? Yes, it is!
Board 11 Close up of the model. The number 735 000 volts appears.
Elder: It then moves to a switchyard where its power is increased to 735 000 volts.
Board 12 Close up of the model.
Elder: The electron then enters the transmission system and moves on to a strategic substation to keep its strength.
Board 13 Long shot of the two characters.
Elder: Then it moves on to a source substation where the voltage is lowered to 120 000 volts.
Board 14 Shot of the old man's hand pointing to a satellite substation in the model.
Elder: The electron continues its route until it reaches a satellite...
Board 15 Shot of the youth imagining the scene where the electron is made smaller: the electron is shrinking in a machine.
Elder: ...substation where its voltage is further lowered to 49 000 volts, sometimes even 25 000 volts, so that it may travel in the lines of utility poles.
Just before the electron enters the house, its voltage is lowered to 120 or 240 volts...
Board 16 close-up of the old man.
Elder: ...depending on the appliance to be fed.
Board 17 Close-up of the youth feeling sorry for her super hero who is now very tiny.
Youth: Aaaaaaaah ! Poor little electron... So big and powerful in the beginning and now so small and weak...
Board 18 Long shot of the two characters near the faucet.
Elder: Yes, but this is the sacrifice it must make for the lights, television, washer and dryer and all other electrical devices in the house to work. And it's really not a sacrifice, because hydroelectric energy is renewable!
Board 19 Long shot of the old man and the youth becoming enthusiastic once again. We hear the thunder.
Youth: Right! This means that we can always bring it back to life!
Elder: Yes... Hurray for Super Electron!
Board 20 Long shot of the two characters.
Elder: Well, as I explained earlier, before the electricity arrives at the house, the voltage is lowered from 25 000 volts to 120 or 240 volts. The transformer at the top of the utility pole does this job.
Youth: The one that can be seen from the window, out there?
Board 21 The camera pans to the window and a view of the transformer on the pole located outside the house.
Elder: And so, each time someone turns on an electrical appliance, electricity enters the house.
Board 22 Close-up of the young drop of water.
Youth: Without being invited?
Board 23 Close-up of the old man with a superimposition presenting different components of the electrical network.
Elder: Not at all! Each time someone uses an electrical appliance, electricity is invited to enter the house. While the electrical appliance is consuming power. Hum! Hum!
But first the electricity enters through the power meter before going the distribution panel, then to the appliance in question.
Board 24 Close-up of the young drop of water.
Youth: Ah! But what is a power meter?
Board 25 Close-up of the old man.
Elder: Ah HA! This is the device that measures the amount of electricity consumed so that Hydro-Québec can precisely establish the amount of our hydro bill.
Board 26 Close-up of the young drop of water.
Youth: What?! Do you mean that electricity is not free?
Board 27 Flip-over shot of the first where we leave the house. The voices are off-screen.
Elder: Well, no! And this is normal. It is, of course, the result of our work, but also the result of a huge system that costs a lot of money.
Youth: Ha !... Does this mean that if I produce electricity I'm going to receive a cheque?
Elder: I'm still waiting for mine.
Youth: I see!