Where Southern New England gets its power

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The United States electric grid powers millions of homes and businesses through a network of power plants, transmission lines and distribution centers. Split into three major regions, Southern New Englanders get their power from the grid’s Eastern Interconnection, which operates in states east of the Rocky Mountains.

The other two regions are the Western Interconnection and Texas Interconnected system.

The Eastern Interconnection part of the grid is made up of hundreds of power generating resources – like natural gas, coal and oil-fired power plants, hydroelectric dams, nuclear stations and renewable energy units like wind and solar farms.

According to Rhode Island’s Office of Energy Resources, electricity is generated at power plants, then long-distance power lines carry electricity at high voltages through the Eastern Interconnection. Substations then convert electricity to lower voltages. Finally, distribution lines carry the electricity to more than 6.5 million homes and businesses throughout New England.

Independent System Operator New England — or ISO-NE — manages New England’s regional power grid, keeping tabs on electricity use especially during times of severe or extreme weather.

For more information on how the U.S. power grid works, visit epa.gov.