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AC powerlines start suffering unacceptable dielectric losses above 750kV. DC power lines can go to about twice that. I don't want anything near 750kV anywhere near me.

DC power lines are also better underground or undersea, they don't suffer from the capacitance to the surrounding material.

The AC-DC conversion equipment at each end has a cost, but for 300 mile aerial lines or 30 mile underground lines it is currently cheaper to do DC.



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