It seems kind of primitive to have power lines just hanging on poles, right?

Bit unsightly too

Is it just a cost issue and is it actually significant when considering the cost of power loss on society (work, hospital, food, etc)?

  • philpo@feddit.org
    2·
    10 hours ago

    The difference between the US the rest of the world is 4 years and due to the Edison-Westinghouse struggle the US were overtaken by the end of the century. (Same goes for Telephones btw. NY had less then half the phone lines Berlin had by 1900)

    The argument with the time difference is often cited but not based on fact - it’s more about the fact that electricity networks in the US were a commercial/capitalist enterprise from the start which was not the case for European cities for a long time.

    And even today power grids in the US are,well, seen as something to be run with the maximum amount of profits with the minimum amount of goverment regulation. If you consider the difference to Europe or parts of Asis it’s insane.