What is the supply voltage in the UK

The calibration of electrical power that is delivered to homes becomes essential as each of the devices that are on use in a home can have differing needs. In the towns and cities of the capital, Commercial Electricians London can guide people about the installation of devices that are best suited to work within the supply. The devices that have the CE mark are designed to work within the statutory supply.

In the US, it has been estimated that Conservation Voltage Reduction or CVT can achieve savings of 6500 megawatts. A measure of the reduction is offered by the CVR factor, which at a value of 1 delivers a 1 percent drop in energy consumption for a 1 percent drop in voltage. In the UK, the voltage supply was changed to 400/230 Volts + 10%-6%. Before 1995, the statutory supply was 415/240 Volts + or 6%. Prior to the specifications being brought down, devices that were made to conform to the European standards were utilising higher voltage than required. . In Europe, until recently, the supply voltage was 380/220 volts + or 6%. The new standard increased the supply specification slightly in Europe and lowered the supply specification in Europe. The standard across Europe is now 400/230 volts + or - 10%. The range will be 207 to 253 volts. Each device will have a specification for voltage, within which it will perform. When voltage is managed and adjusted so that the high value of supply is toned down to come within the range that is required for the optimum performance of the equipment. There are certain devices which are dependent on voltage and certain others which are not dependent on voltage. A filament lamp is dependent on voltage. It will utilise less

power if the supply is kept within 230 volts and will draw more power when the supply is above 230 volts. Tungsten filament, tungsten halogen and reflector lamps are all dependent on voltage. With fluorescent lamps, those requiring electric ballast are dependent on voltage while those that are dependent on electronic impulse are independent of voltage. More than three-fourths of the power that is produced in the UK is generated in England. The production in England was around 77% while Scotland came second at about 13%. Wales and Northern Ireland produced about 7% and 2% respectively. England buys electricity from Scotland and Wales while Northern Ireland sells power to Ireland. About 25% of the power produced in Scotland is bought by England while Wales sells around 10 percent of its production to England. In all the four regions, the share of gas in production has fallen over the years with a corresponding increase in coals share. The drop was very substantial in all regions. In England, the share of gas in electricity generation was 43.5% in 2011 and 30.7% in 2012. In Scotland, it halved from 16.1% in 2011 to 8% in 2012. In Wales, the drop was from 39.3% to 23.2%. In Northern Ireland, the share of gas in production was 68.1% in 2011 and 50.5% in 2012. The decrease was related to rising prices of gas.