substation

American  

[suhb-stay-shuhn] / ˈsʌbˌsteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a branch of a main post office.

2. an auxiliary power station where electrical current is converted, as from AC to DC, voltage is stepped up or down, etc.

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substation British  

/ ˈsʌbˌsteɪʃən /

noun

1. a subsidiary station

2. an installation at which electricity is received from one or more power stations for conversion from alternating to direct current, reducing the voltage, or switching before distribution by a low-tension network

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Etymology

Origin of substation

First recorded in 1885–90; sub- + station

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

substation

EirGrid, the state-owned electric power transmission operator, spent 100 million euros, equivalent to $116 million, building a new substation to serve some 200,000 planned homes nearby.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

It says it can bring more power to companies much sooner than others, in days or weeks, rather than waiting years for utilities to upgrade local substation and expand capacity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

The cluster would, the company declared, be "more than twice the size of many of today's leading campuses", comprising various buildings, an on-site electrical substation and wildflower areas.

From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026

West Virginia is now on the frontline of a national shift that most people won’t notice until it shows up in their own bills, water tables or the substation down the road.

From Salon ● Dec. 28, 2025

They found themselves in a tiny substation, empty, airless, ruined.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

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