There is a project supplying a former PGE generating plant that was taken offline in SSF with an alternate power supply via a submerged conductor from an upstream power plant and it is carrying dc power. The times they are a changing. New Siemens technology from what I understand. I don't have all the particulars but my jaw hit the floor just like I am sure many of yours will, and Siemens too when they are besieged for info. A collegue and long time friend worked on the rectification building intercoolers. It is real.
I just don't see how the primary/secondary step up/down ability of alternating current can be beat by dc. It is a lot easier to send 1 amp at 100,000, 250,000, or 500,000 volts and then turn it back around on the other end and exagerating here for simplicity and not wanting to get up and get the calculator (before noon Sunday) for 100.000 amps at 1 volt, etc, etc, Even our residential suburban neighborhoods usually are supplied with at least 4160 volts. Then transformed down one last time by smaller transformers supplying approximately 1 block at a time. The dc supply mentioned probably is feasible due to the cooling advantage upon the conductor being submerged in 55 or so degree water. Abundant cooling.
Imagine the size of conductors required to carry power to a city without transformer advantage. Even when accounting for the skin effect and corresponding cable construction they would still be virtual tree trunks on poles. Maybe, and this is sci fi futeristic beyond our current laws of physics, but just maybe one day Tesla's far fetched transmission experiments will bear fruit as technology advances. Probably not in my lifetime, but you never know. Wasn't too long ago the only thing flying was bugs, birds, and squirrels.(before you say it, I included bats with birds not squirrels.
Wait, what if?????????????????
