Reply To: minimal size device for focus fusion to work?

[zapkitty]

JimmyT wrote:
I actually think that it might. It may well become cheaper to generate more power where
it’s needed then to maintain the infrastructure to transport it.

Then doesn’t that answer your question?

Existing transmission line maintenance costs are supposed to be a small
part of the total power bill. It’s the need for building new lines and added
extras such as underground installation that drives the high prices you see
quoted for transmission line projects.

As DPF installations begin propagating the existing lines will do nicely.

And part of the economic “fuel” for DPF propagation will be the
selling of excess power over transmission lines.

As the situation develops the existing lines that are judged to to be no longer
needed will be allowed to lapse.

But this need not create a “power bubble”…

(… unless you allow the oligarchs to make it one… they just loves them some
bubbles as they don’t pay any real penalty when the bubbles burst…)

… but this need not create a “power bubble”as DPFs should be built so
as to supply local power needs plus a certain margin.

And the Feds will have a distinct (and valid) interest in encouraging the
maintenance of a basic method of intercity power transport.

It seems that the fact that anyone who wants to buy or build a DPF will
usually also want backup power of some kind (even if it’s just a spare
DPF) makes this a self-resolving issue… not a dilemma 🙂