DOE tried to Pass the Hot Potato of Power Line Siting to FERC, but failed

The whole hubbub around this subject is because power line siting gets people really upset. Most of the sensitivity to power lines is because they are so visible. It is possible for one overhead powerline to impact tens of thousands of people in terms of visual impact. Compare that to an underground power line or a gas pipeline, which generally faces much less opposition. Moving powerlines underground has other advantages too, especially if the large discrepancy between time to repair an overhead line (~4 hours) compared to the typical repair time for a prior art direct-buried underground line (~160 hours) can be removed.

My elpipe technology is installed and maintained in a unique way: the first stage of construction is to lay a pipeline that will form the conduit for the elpipe. This is exactly like laying two gas pipelines near each other, though with a bit more limitation on minimum radius of curvature (similar to the limits on railroads or limited-access Interstate Highways). The elpipe is on wheels, and can climb and descend hills with its powered wheel modules. This enables rapid repair, as well as routine maintenance. Here is my most recent paper on elpipes.



I have so far found that US-based venture capital investors will not take an interest in the elpipe because it is "too big, too long term." I have therefore put my startup Electric Pipeline Corporation onto Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/elpipes 
in hopes that I can get started on this important (and expensive) development soon. It would help me move this forward if you will "follow" me on Wefunder; I expect the US Securities and Exchange Commission will be issuing rules by May that will allow me to raise funds though Wefunder (this is not legal yet, but by following EPC, you will help move me to the front of the queue when the final rules are announced).