Electric power plants make electrons flow by spinning copper wire near a magnet in a machine called a generator. The magnet makes the electrons in the wire move from atom to atom, creating electricity.- Electricity has to travel a long way from the power plant to where it is used, and it can get weaker as it travels. So big transformers at power plants are used to increase electricity’s strength for its long journey.
- Electricity travels long distances over transmission lines on tall towers.
- When electricity gets closer to where it will be used, its strength must be decreased. Transformers at utility substations do this job, “stepping down” electricity’s power.
- Electricity then travels to neighborhood streets and rural areas on overhead or underground power lines called distribution lines.
- When the distribution wires reach a home or business, another transformer reduces the electricity down to just the right voltage to be used in homes, schools or businesses.
- Service drop wires carry the electricity from the transformer to buildings through a meter box. The meter measures how much electricity is used in the building.
- From the meter box, wires run inside the walls of buildings to lights and outlets, where electricity waits for you to use it.
Peru Utilities no longer generates electricity in its power plant because it is far more economical to purchase power through the Indiana Municipal Power Agency. IMPA is a wholesale electric provider servicing Peru and 58 other member cities in and around Indiana. IMPA has a diverse power portfolio including ownership of 518 MW of generation from 4 coal-fired plants and 419 MW of generation from 7 natural gas combustion peaking units. IMPA also owns 4 solar parks and is currently building more in various cities (including Peru) to add to its power resources. IMPA’s active management of power costs and service quality has made it 1 of the nation’s most competitive power providers.
As a relatively small utility, Peru Utilities has access to limited power supply options. However, as an IMPA member utility, Peru is able to pool its power purchasing requirements with all of the other IMPA members to gain a competitive price advantage for our customers.
Although the power supply comes from IMPA, maintaining a reliable distribution system is the responsibility of each utility. Peru Utilities’ Electric Transmission & Distribution Department skillfully maintains 319 miles of T&D lines within a 95-square-mile area to provide dependable electrical service to its Peru and Miami County customers.