The largest machine in the world is the power grid.
Every thing that is plugged to a wall outlet is part of this machine the internet and telephone networks, every pump, motor,subway train, light bulb, TV, high power destructive laser, electrical discharge machine, industrial robot, space heater, electric arc furnace or annoying Halloween decoration is part of this machine.
Power lines are often built using helicopters
These helicopters fly around with huge saws to trim trees
Power lines are maintained by helicopter, it’s faster and safer that way
Millions of people work to keep the machine running
High tension power lines transmit millions of horsepower of electricity
Turbo Engines
Many turbo-shaft engines used in smaller peaking power plants are derived from turbo-fan engines used in jet aircraft, instead of the output shaft spinning a large fan the shaft is connected generator.
While highly efficient electrical generators produce enormous amounts of heat, instead of being wound using turns of solid wire larger generators are wound using thousands of hollow copper pipes so water can flow though the conductors to remove heat produced in generating electricity.
Hydro Power
The largest rivers in the world have been impounded behind walls to harness their power.
I know its one of the coolest pictures for nuclear reactors, but you guys might want to change the picture, or at least add a caption for the middle picture under nuclear energy. It’s not strictly speaking a power reactor that provides electricity to the grid. It is a research reactor called the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Lab. It mainly used for neutron penetration research for different fuels and materials which accounts for its unique design to achieve high neutron densities.
hehe, penetration