China builds $3.7 billion, 1,373 mile power cable, how was your afternoon?

The State Grid corporation of China is constructing a power line of capable of transmitting a staggering 37 billion kWh per year. The record-breaking cable stretches from the power rich north eastern Hami Prefecture to the energy-starved city of Zhengzhou in the west. Costing a twitch-inducing $3.7 billion, when it's completed in 2014, it'll be the most capacious link in the world. Rather than rest on that particular laurel, the company is commencing work on a second, slightly smaller line that'll be used to transmit wind and solar power from Hami to the rest of the country -- here we were thinking that skipping our lie-in was an impressive feat.

China builds $3.7 billion, 1,373 mile power cable, how was your afternoon? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 09:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.