Since early breakthroughs in electrical distribution leading back to Edison and Tesla, electricity has taken the burden off of human muscle power for household chores, granting us appliance-created leisure time. It has lit the dark of night with the flick of a switch. By powering global communications networks, it has lit our minds, as well. With few keyboard inputs, we have access to more information than any previous generation in history.

Unfortunately, the current power grid is a dinosaur tracing its roots back to early grid projects in the late 1800s. From that time on, the U.S. power grid grew in something of a haphazard, piecemeal fashion — but did it grow!