[phs318u]

Assuming the millimeter wave drilling technology does in fact hold up (I imagine it draws a LOT of power), the re-use of existing infrastructure (drill a hole at every power station site that boils water to drive a turbine, with existing transmission in place), is brilliant because that's a huge, huge cost avoided - and indeed could be stood up in far less time (barring government approvals) than most mega-scale alternatives.

Full steam ahead!

EDIT: tbh I did also think that this concept sounds like the opening plot for a b-grade disaster movie - "The Day The Earth Cracked Open".

[markbnj]

You'll be happy to know that movie has been made :). I watched it as a young kid and found it pretty scary. Years later I saw it again and it was of course laughably bad.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059065/

[phs318u]

Oh my! I think I saw that as a kid! Haha. Thank you.

[pfdietz]

A concern I have with the mm-wave scheme is material agglomerating onto the drilling shaft, causing clogs or even causing it to get stuck.