hazlntskier;c-62130 wroteDC is very inefficient over any distance at all while AC at high voltages can be transmitted with very little loss.
Here's an example that hopefully helps:
Let's hypothesize a transmission line "A to B" with resistance of 0.1 ohm.
A––––––––––––––B
If I insert a megawatt at point "A" at 100 Amps and 1000 Volts, the loss of energy between point A and B = current squared times the resistance [(I^2)*R] or 100*100*0.1 or 1000 watts meaning that 999 kW is actually delivered to point "B".
If instead I inserted a megawatt at point "A" at 1000 Amps and 100 Volts, the loss of energy between point A and B = current squared times the resistance [(I^2)*R] 1000*1000*0.1 or 100 Kw meaning that 900 kW is actually delivered to point "B".
These numbers are provided as an example only, but hopefully show (anyone not blown away by the math) that in the long run it is much more efficient to transmit electricity at very high voltage and very low amperage.
A quick google look-up shows high tension wires typically run at 345,000 volts.
