Safety Sense > Substations

The signs on the substation fence say, "Danger - Keep Out" or "Warning - High Voltage" - and they mean it. They may not sound very friendly, but these signs can carry an important safety message: that fence is there for your protection.

An electrical substation changes the extremely high voltage carried by the long-distance transmission lines into the lower distribution voltage that serves your home and business. To do this, the substation must have a direct feed from the transmission line into the substation structure. The equipment within the substation is always under high-voltage electrical load.

Substation technicians, line technicians and maintenance crews are trained to work in high-voltage situations and to recognize and avoid potential hazards that exist in the substation. You can avoid these hazards by paying attention to the signs on the substation fencing; they mark the danger zone for you.