[bluejekyll]

I did consider your point, and in general, I agree with it in most cases. To me though, it’s like the road system in US. The transmission lines are very much like the shared cost of maintaining the interstate highway system.

I agree that there are advancements in transmission needed. All of your points are correct, but I disagree that the risks of the free market are the way to get there.

I just drove from SF to LA to let my kids have some some fresh air (ironic, right?). It took us 4 hours, all the way to the grapevine (just past Bakersfield) to not see the smoke, to have more than a few miles of visibility. The cost of the risks from an improperly maintained grid would be horrendous.

I’m not an electrical engineer, and my knowledge of how the grid operates is limited, I’ll admit, I’m just incapable of seeing a free market solution here, where failure can result in a catastrophe like we’re experiencing here now. As I understand the interconnected nature of the grid, it needs centralized management to control the transmission system. I luckily have the means to get my family to safety (we came back yesterday as the air is finally starting to clear), but that’s not an option for many people. I don’t believe the free market you speak of could ever exist, and I don’t think it’s worth watching things deteriorate to find out.