Electricity in Great Nortend

Great Nortend has a curious relationship with electricity. Electricity is not particularly widespread and even to-day, more than 50 per cent of the population do not have access to any form of household electricity. Of those that do, electricity is usually supplied on a local level, rather than by large national grids. Electrical appliances are not common and electricity is mostly used for lighting purposes, replacing the traditional wax and tallow candles, and oil or paraffin lamps.

Usage
Electricity, where it is used, is almost invariably used for lighting, telephone, telegraph and radio. Other uses, such as for escalators, lifts and computers, are also present in smaller numbers and only in the largest of towns or cities where electricity is available for all day use. Electricity is almost never used for heating or cooling, with coal and wood fires serving as the most common and economical source of heat. The only major industrial or commercial uses of electricity are for telephony, telegraphy, electric tramways and railways.

In an apparent oddity, electricity is preferred by most for indoor lighting but gas light is predominant in town street lights. This is in fact owing to the danger of explosion and asphyxiation surrounding gas lighting when used in enclosed areas. Anothe likely reason is that the voltage of electricity is limited by law, and thus street lights, which require higher voltages, cannot reliably operate more than a mile away from the power plant. These measures were enacted ostensibly for safety but it is more likely that petitioning of the Government by gas companies and lamplighters influenced the decision.

Generation
In most cities and large towns, specialised power plants are used to generate electricity, usually from coal fired steam powered electricity or water driven hydro-electricity. These are known as generating or power mills. Most electricity companies have rights to supply electricity to certain areas of cities or towns only, and thus a single city or town may have multiple companies providing power.

Smaller towns and larger villages almost invariably prefer to use wind and water mills to generate electricity, as it is cheaper and can be used with the same infrastructure that powers the village corn mill. Many smaller electricity companies only operate during the evening hours, especially those which generate electricity through wind or water power, as the mill would be used for milling during the day.

Infrastructure
Electricity in Great Nortend is generally supplied through wires carrying AC current at 22 fzs (39 V). Plugs and sockets vary from company to company but the 'Type G' and 'Type I' plugs are most common. Wires are typically buried underground in conduits under streets, in accordance with legislation, after a spate of electrocutions from damaged wires in the early 20th century.