Last updated: 11 August 2023
Three-phase electric power (industrial applications only)
A three-phase electric motor
Although single-phase power is more prevalent today, three-phase is chosen as the power of choice for many different types of applications. Generators at power stations supply three-phase electricity. This is a way of supplying three times as much electricity along three wires as can be supplied through two, without having to increase the thickness of the wires. It is usually used in industry to drive motors and other devices.
Three-phase electricity is by its very nature a much smoother form of electricity than single-phase or two-phase power. It is this more consistent electrical power that allows machines to run more efficiently and last many years longer than their relative machines running on the other phases. Some applications are able to work with three-phase power in ways that would not work on single phase at all.
Mind you, since three-phase electricity is rarely used for domestic purposes, the table below is only relevant to electricians, electrical engineers and other technically skilled people. Travellers and laymen should take a look at the single-phase voltage table.
| Country | Three-phase voltage (volts) | Frequency (hertz) | Number of wires (not including the ground wire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi (not a country, but a state (an emirate) within the United Arab Emirates) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Afghanistan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Albania | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Algeria | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| American Samoa | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Andorra | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Angola | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Anguilla | 120/208 V / 127/220 V / 240/415 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 400 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Argentina | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Armenia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Aruba | 220 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Australia | 400 V (officially, but in practice often 415 V) | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Austria | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Azerbaijan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Azores | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Bahamas | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Bahrain | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Balearic Islands | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Bangladesh | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Barbados | 200 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Belarus | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Belgium | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Belize | 190 V / 380 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Benin | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Bermuda | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Bhutan | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Bolivia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Bonaire | 220 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Botswana | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Brazil | 220 V / 380 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| British Virgin Islands | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Brunei | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Bulgaria | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Burkina Faso | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Burma (officially Myanmar) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Burundi | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Cambodia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Cameroon | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Canada | 120/208 V / 240 V / 480 V / 347/600 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Canary Islands | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Cape Verde (in Portuguese: Cabo Verde) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Cayman Islands | 240 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| Central African Republic | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Chad | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Channel Islands (Guernsey & Jersey) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Chile | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| China, People’s Republic of | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Christmas Island | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Colombia | 220 V / 440 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Comoros | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Congo-Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Cook Islands | 415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Costa Rica | 240 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Croatia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Cuba | 190 V / 440 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| Curaçao | 220 V / 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Cyprus | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Cyprus, North (unrecognised, self-declared state) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Czechia (Czech Republic) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Denmark | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Djibouti | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Dominica | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Dominican Republic | 120/208 V / 277/480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Dubai (not a country, but a state (an emirate) within the United Arab Emirates) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| East Timor (Timor-Leste) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ecuador | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Egypt | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| El Salvador | 200 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| England | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Equatorial Guinea | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Eritrea | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Estonia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ethiopia | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Faeroe Islands | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Falkland Islands | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Fiji | 415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Finland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| France | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| French Guiana (French overseas department) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| French Polynesia (French overseas collectivity) | 380 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Gabon (Gabonese Republic) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Gambia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Gaza | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Georgia | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Germany | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ghana | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Gibraltar | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Great Britain (GB) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Greece | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Greenland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Grenada | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Guadeloupe (French overseas department) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Guam | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Guatemala | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Guinea | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Guyana | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Haiti | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Holland (officially the Netherlands) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Honduras | 208 V / 230 V / 240 V / 460 V / 480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Hong Kong | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Hungary | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Iceland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| India | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Indonesia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Iran | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Iraq | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ireland, Northern | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ireland, Republic of (Eire) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Isle of Man | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Isle of Man | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Israel | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Italy | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Jamaica | 220 V / 240/415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Japan | 200 V | 50 Hz / 60 Hz | 3 |
| Jordan | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Kazakhstan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Kenya | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Kiribati | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Korea, North | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Korea, South | 380 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Kosovo | 230 V / 400 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Kuwait | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Laos | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Latvia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Lebanon | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Lesotho | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Liberia | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Libya | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Liechtenstein | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Lithuania | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Luxembourg | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Macau | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Macedonia, North | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Madagascar | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Madeira | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Malawi | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Malaysia | 400 V (officially, but in practice often 415 V) | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Maldives | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Mali | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Malta | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Marshall Islands | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Martinique (French overseas department) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Mauritania | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Mauritius | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Mayotte (French overseas department) | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Mexico | 127/220 V / 120/240 V / 440 V / 240/480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Micronesia (officially: Federated States of Micronesia) | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Moldova | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Monaco | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Mongolia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Montenegro | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Montserrat | 400 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Morocco | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Mozambique | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Myanmar (formerly Burma) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Namibia | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Nauru | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Nepal | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Netherlands | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| New Caledonia (French overseas collectivity) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| New Zealand | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Nicaragua | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Niger | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Nigeria | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Niue | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Norfolk Island | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| North Cyprus (unrecognised, self-declared state) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| North Korea | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| North Macedonia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Northern Ireland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Norway | 230 V / 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Oman | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Pakistan | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Palau | 208 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| Palestine | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Palestine | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Panama | 120/208 V / 277/480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Papua New Guinea | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Paraguay | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Peru | 220 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| Philippines | 380 V | 60 Hz | 3 |
| Pitcairn Islands | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Poland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Portugal | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Puerto Rico | 480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Qatar | 415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Réunion (French overseas department) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Romania | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Russia (officially the Russian Federation) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Rwanda | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Saba | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Saint Barthélemy (French overseas collectivity, informally also referred to as Saint Barth’s or Saint Barts) | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Saint Helena | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis (officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis) | 400 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Saint Lucia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Saint Martin (French overseas collectivity) | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas collectivity) | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Samoa | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| San Marino | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 400 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Scotland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Senegal | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Serbia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Seychelles | 240 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Sierra Leone | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Singapore | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Sint Eustatius | 220 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Sint Maarten | 220 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Slovakia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Slovenia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Solomon Islands | [unavailable] | [unavailable] | [unavailable] |
| Somalia | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Somaliland (unrecognised, self-declared state) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| South Africa | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| South Korea | 380 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| South Sudan | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Spain | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Sri Lanka | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Sudan | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Suriname (Surinam) | 220 V / 400 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Swaziland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Sweden | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Switzerland | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Syria | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Tahiti (the largest island in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France) | 380 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Taiwan | 220 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Tajikistan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Tanzania | 415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Thailand | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Togo | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Tokelau | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Tonga | 415 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 115/230 V / 230/400 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Tunisia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Turkey | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Turkmenistan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 240 V | 60 Hz | 4 |
| Tuvalu | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Uganda | 415 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Ukraine | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| United Kingdom (UK) | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| United States of America (USA) | 120/208 V / 277/480 V / 120/240 V / 240 V / 480 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| United States Virgin Islands | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Uruguay | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3 |
| Uzbekistan | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Vanuatu | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Vatican City | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Venezuela | 120 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Vietnam | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Virgin Islands (British) | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Virgin Islands (USA) | 190 V | 60 Hz | 3, 4 |
| Wales | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Wallis and Futuna (French overseas collectivity) | 380 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
| West Bank | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Western Sahara | 380 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Yemen | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Zambia | 400 V | 50 Hz | 4 |
| Zimbabwe | 400 V | 50 Hz | 3, 4 |
