If 1/2 mile, 20 amp requires 500 kcmil, why do utility poles of many miles have such small wires?

More on the pacific intertie here, its got quite a grounding system, thats cool @Jraef worked on it I thought part of it was SWER but that may have changed.

My recollection is that normal operation is bipolar, but that they have the capability of 'SWER' like monopolar operation.
 
Top