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Letter: Big switch-on

Published 16 June 2001

From Crispin Piney

I read with interest that Japan is planning to raise the voltage of its
electrical power grid, thereby saving 1 per cent of electricity consumption due
to reduced transmission losses
(2 June, p 6).

One might ask why the US, apparently in the grip of an energy crisis, has not
already upgraded its energy transmission network in a similar way? Do they have
any plans, or have the oil barons found an argument to justify this ongoing
waste?

Valbonne, France

Issue no. 2295 published 16 June 2001

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