Christian McArdle wrote:

Well, because it clears the fault more reliably and leads to fewer fires and
deaths?


Where is the evidence for this? Most fires are due to poor connections,
they won't necessarily trip the breaker until much too late!

I noticed some comments earlier in the thread on the phasing problems
of 400Hz. There are no problems if the main distribution system is HVDC.
This is why major power links have been HVDC for many years AIUI. The
50Hz local distribution system is purely historic and well entrenched
but the transformer sizes could be substantially reduced with 400HZ. In
the US, local transformers on a pole appear to be the norm in a lot of
areas. These would certainly be lighter at 400Hz. The 400 Hz suggestion
comes from discussions with US engineers many years ago on which way
would you go today if you could start again. I certainly like it. I
haven't kept up to date with the power side of electrical distribution
for a few decades, but sub 50Hz supplies were normally achieved locally
by six and twelve phase transformers with interphase reactors, and not
generator sourced. Sub 50Hz harmonics can be a major headache for
distribution transformers AIUI so local generation seems essential.

Regards
Capitol