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Superconducting Power Grid Launches In New York

Posted by Soulskill on from the so-i-rewired-it dept.

EmagGeek writes "IEEE is running a story about a new superconducting power grid that was energized in April in New York State. The lines operate at 138kV and are cooled to 65-75K to maintain superconductivity. These lines are run underground and can carry 150 times more electricity than copper lines of the same cross section. The project is funded with taxpayer dollars through the Department of Energy." A related story at MarketWatch indicates that this is part of a large-scale effort to upgrade aging infrastructure.

10 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. I'd contribute funds to that... by stevedcc · · Score: 5, Funny

    If I could get my pc on the cooling network..... mmmmmm, 65K. Should be enough for anybody!

    --
    todo - The developer's equivalent of confession: "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned..."
    1. Re:I'd contribute funds to that... by MightyYar · · Score: 3, Funny

      The article SHOULD have said that the wires were about 1/1000th the diameter of an African male elephant, and carry about 12 Library of Congresses worth of current - for a total of a mind-boggling 23 Senate chambers' worth of hot air.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  2. Cool! by Plazmid · · Score: 4, Funny

    I am going to go find a place where these lines aren't underground and see if I can get my neodymium magnets to levitate on it. Maybe even play some superconducting variant of hockey...

  3. Re:Wow, !vaporware? by tttonyyy · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's cool that we're seeing real world applications now.

    Superconducters are way cool man.

    --
    biopowered.co.uk - catalytically cracking triglycerides for home automotive use since 2008. Just say no to big oil!
  4. Rumor has it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    that this may be enough power to run the machines that we will play Duke Nukem Forever on.

  5. Re:Possible new 'Terrorism' target? by megaditto · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Germans arrested him early in 1942, but let him go for lack of evidence.

    That's where they nazis lost it. They should have just rounded up all suspects and put them in a freedom camp or something.

    --
    Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
  6. New York's Next Project... by goodEvans · · Score: 2, Funny

    Supercooled water mains!

    Wait...

  7. Re:Heat from environment by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Funny

    The hotter the environment, the worse the thermal insulation

    They run it through New York state to take advantage of the Hillary Cooling Effect.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  8. Re:Hmmm... by R2.0 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I dunno - having John Dingell investigate someone for government fraud is like Typhoid Mary accusing someone of not covering their mouth when they sneeze.

    --
    "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
  9. Re:Heat from environment by WhoBeDaPlaya · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's cold.