what is the current in a powerline???

Answer 1

It's equal to the power it's delivering (in watts) divided by the voltage (in volts).

P = I x E (Power = Current times Voltage)

or

I = P/E

Just as an example, if a major line at 115 kV is delivering 1 MegaWatt of power, that would be 8 amps (and that would be spread out over three phases, so, roughly 3 amps, but still the same, in total).

However, if someone is foolish enough to climb the pylon and provide a fault to ground, that current will easily spike into the thousands, killing him almost instantly, if not by 'cooking his innards', then by the subsequent fall to the ground when he is rendered unconscious.

PS - Or perhaps you are asking what "current" means when talking about powerlines - In that case, it is the movement of electrons through the metallic wires, caused by the voltage. Since it is (almost) always Alternating Current (AC), the electrons change direction every 60 seconds. Don't know if this is what you were after or not...

Answer 2

Wulf is onto a correct idea as his method could be used to find current. My only problem with his particular solution is the use of the formula P = I V. P usually refers to the power dissipated across a potential difference V. While I believe you will still come up with a correct solution, I am not entirely comfortable with the use of this formula for this application. There is another method as well.

If you know the potential of the line (its voltage) and you know the resistance of the line (can be found knowing the material, size, and length of the line), you can easily find current by simply using Ohm's law.

V = I R

Both methods should give you the correct response.

Answer 3

Depends ,there is a difference on how much power goes to different things, a house power line has much less current than a business office or hotel. Electricity is very dangerous, be careful!

Answer 4

It varies with the demand for power.

Answer 5

amps